Jeffrey Donaldson renounces knighthood after conviction for 18 child sex abuse offences

Conviction and honours

On Monday, a jury at Newry Crown Court unanimously convicted Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, of 18 sexual offences: one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and four of gross indecency. The crimes were committed against two women when they were children, between 1985 and 2008. Judge Paul Ramsey warned the former DUP leader to expect a "lengthy" prison term. Donaldson is remanded at Maghaberry Prison, with a case review set for 11 September and a sentencing hearing on 25 September.

Forfeiture request

Donaldson’s solicitor, John McBurney, issued two letters on Wednesday. One, to the Cabinet Office, requests that Donaldson’s knighthood be renounced and forfeited. The other, to the Privy Council office, tenders his resignation from the advisory body with immediate effect. The knighthood was conferred by Queen Elizabeth in the 2016 Birthday Honours for political service.

I have this afternoon issued a letter signed by Jeffrey Donaldson to the Cabinet Office indicating his request to renounce and forfeit his knighthood.

I have also this afternoon issued a letter signed by Jeffrey Donaldson to the Privy Council office tendering his resignation from the Privy Council with immediate effect.

Political reaction

Current DUP leader Gavin Robinson and Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows had both called for Donaldson to be stripped of the knighthood and his Privy Council seat after the verdict. The British parliament’s forfeiture committee automatically considers withdrawing an honour when a holder is convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to more than three months in jail.

Judicial reform context

Sir John Gillen, the retired appeal court judge who led a 2019 review of how sexual offences are handled in Northern Ireland, described the trial as striking “a blow” against a culture that “hasn’t properly heard women and girls and children in the past.” He praised the use of video-recorded police interviews and remote evidence centres, and said the way rape myths were addressed during proceedings showed a “sea change.”

Anyone who has witnessed these trials will see now the sea change that has happened in the way that rape myths are dealt with.

Co-accused

Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was charged with four counts of aiding and abetting and one count of cruelty to children. She faced a trial of the facts on mental-health grounds and was not present during proceedings; the jury found that she had carried out the acts.