Northern Ireland ex-DUP leader Donaldson sentenced to 15 years for child sex crimes

The former leader of Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for child ⁠⁠sex offences. Jeffrey Donaldson, who led the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), stared straight ahead as Judge Paul Ramsey handed down the 63-year-old’s sentence on Thursday. Ramsey described the case as “disturbing and disquieting”, ‌‌assessing Donaldson as having a medium chance of reoffending. He described the politician’s fall as “a catastrophic descent into disgrace”. Donaldson has been in prison awaiting sentence since June after he was convicted of one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency against two girls between ⁠⁠1985 and 2008.