Disgraced politician Jeffrey Donaldson's wife placed on sex offenders' register for 'aiding and abetting' paedophile husband

Published: 08:06 EST, 13 November 2026 | Updated: 08:10 EST, 13 November 2026 The wife of Jeffrey Donaldson, the disgraced former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has been placed on the sex offenders' register for 'aiding and abetting' her husband. Eleanor Donaldson was found to have covered up child sex offences committed by her husband for more than two decades.Earlier this year, former politician Donaldson, 63, was unanimously convicted during a trial of the facts of 18 offences committed against two victims over a 23-year period.The charges included one count of rape, 13 of indecent assault and four of gross indecency, taking place between 1985 and 2008. Now his wife has been placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.She was also handed a three-year supervision and treatment order (STO) by a judge at Newry Crown Court.Eleanor briefly appeared on Friday during the proceedings via videolink so that Judge Paul Ramsey could explain the court order to her.The 60-year-old from Dromore, Co Down, had faced a trial of the facts at the same time, after she was found unfit to participate in a conventional trial on mental health grounds. Eleanor Donaldson, pictured leaving court in 2024, has been placed on the sex offenders' register for 'aiding and abetting' her husband, Jeffrey DonaldsonDonaldson, seen arriving at Newry Courthouse in 2024 after being charged, has been sentenced to 15 years and will serve half of that in prisonDuring the trial of facts, the court heard that Eleanor had witnessed one of the assaults, but instead of intervening, she walked away and pulled the door shut behind her.She was found to have done the acts alleged in relation to five charges, including four of aiding and abetting her husband's abuse.Donaldson's crimes included kissing one victim, Victim A, and putting his tongue in her mouth when she was of primary school age. He also put his hands up her top to grope her and looked at her naked body using a light.The second victim, Victim B, was also in primary school when he raped her. He indecently assaulted her on nine occasions, including once in front of his own wife.Donaldson has been sentenced to 15 years and will serve half of that in jail.