Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is due to be sentenced at Newry Crown Court after being convicted of historic child sex offences. Multiple outlets report that he will appear in court to hear the judge’s decision on the length of his prison sentence.
The convictions involve abuse of two women who were children at the time. BBC News and other reports say the offences include rape and sexual abuse committed when the victims were aged between about seven and 13, with the period of offending described as spanning roughly two decades. Several sources note that the sentencing hearing follows a June conviction on 18 counts, with a pre-sentence process taking place before today’s ruling.
Outlets differ mainly in the emphasis they place on the expected length of the sentence and the number and details of charges, but they consistently describe the same case: Donaldson’s conviction for offences against two girls, and today’s sentencing by Judge Paul Ramsey.
