Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson is appealing his convictions for child sexual offences. Multiple outlets report that his legal team has lodged documents with the Court of Appeal in Belfast. The appeal follows a jury conviction at Newry Crown Court last month, after a four-week trial.
Dondson was found guilty on 18 counts of sexual offences involving two children. The counts include one rape charge and additional sexual offences, according to reports. The convictions relate to abuse of two people when they were minors.
BBC News additionally reports that Donaldson is stripped of his knighthood by King following the conviction. Other coverage focuses on the appeal process and the stated intention to challenge the findings, including seeking to have the convictions set aside.
While sources vary in the details they highlight, they agree on the core points: the number of convictions, the inclusion of a rape count, the trial location and timing, and that an appeal is now being pursued through the Court of Appeal in Belfast.
