Donaldson Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Child Sexual Abuse
The former Democratic Unionist leader was given eleven years for offences against one victim and four for the other, to run consecutively, at Newry Crown Court. Because the offences predate a 2008 order he qualifies for fifty per cent remission and would be released at the end of 2033 if his appeal fails. He will sign the sex offenders register for life.
Judge Paul Ramsey told him his crimes, committed between 1985 and 2008, had led to a “catastrophic descent into disgrace”. The aggravating features he set out were the length and protracted nature of the offending, the youth of the victims and the age gap between them; he said he could not treat the absence of other convictions as mitigation. By contesting the case rather than pleading guilty the defendant forfeited the reduction he would otherwise have received, and the judge was pointed about what has not happened: “It is highly significant that the defendant denied the offences to the police, he denied them in evidence and to the probation officer he continues to maintain his denials. He has doubled-down in his denials. There has not been, and doubtless will not be, one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide his victims with some crumb of comfort.” He returned to Maghaberry Prison on Thursday afternoon, where he is held in a unit for prisoners with health care needs and does not share a cell, thought to be for his own protection.