Jeffrey Donaldson stripped of knighthood by Britain’s king Charles

Former DUP leader and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Donaldson has been stripped of his knighthood by Britain’s king Charles.On Thursday, a notice was published in The Gazette, a UK official public record journal, confirming that Charles had “directed the cancellation and annulment” of the title.The move comes a month after Donaldson was found guilty of 18 sex abuse offences, including rape, which were carried out against two women when they were children.Within days of his conviction at Newry Crown Court, it emerged that Donaldson had asked for his knighthood to be forfeited.READ MOREThe former Lagan Valley MP was knighted in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours list in 2016 for service to politics.The Gazette notice, published by the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood stated: “The King has directed the cancellation and annulment of the knighthood conferred upon Jeffrey Mark Donaldson on the 11 June 2016 as a Knight Bachelor.”Donaldson also tendered his resignation from the UK Privy Council with “immediate effect” last month.The council is an advisory body to the British monarch and its members, generally holders of senior political or judicial office, who are required to take a special oath, are known as privy counsellors.Donaldson is currently in custody at Maghaberry prison outside Lisburn in Co Antrim.A review sentence hearing is due to take place in September.He is appealing his conviction.Eleanor Donaldson at Newry court in September 2024. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Earlier, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party said the legal process used to prosecute Eleanor Donaldson must be urgently reviewed as the conclusion of her case has left a “profound sense of injustice”.Jon Burrows has called on Stormont’s Department of Health and Department of Justice to examine the legal framework governing the “trial of the facts”, a mechanism rarely used when the accused is medically unfit to take part in a conventional trial.Eleanor Donaldson was prosecuted under the process last month on aiding and abetting her husband and co-accused, Jeffrey Donaldson, in relation to his child sex abuse offences.Unlike a criminal trial, a jury cannot find a defendant guilty of any offence – even murder – during a trial of the facts.Eleanor Donaldson was found by a jury to have carried out the acts.She will not face a prison sentence or be placed on the sex offenders register due to the legal process.If Eleanor Donaldson had been convicted at a criminal trial, she would have been found guilty of “the most serious sexual offences”, prompting concerns about whether a trial of the facts “protects victims and the public as it should”, according to Burrows.Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows. Photograph: Mark Marlow/PA Wire “This case has left a profound sense of injustice whenever people now realise that no matter what punishment Eleanor Donaldson receives, she will never face a day in prison,” he said.“There is no guarantee she will be placed on the sex offenders register and even if her health fully recovered, she could not be tried for the offences.”Options available to the judge, instead of a sentence, include Eleanor Donaldson being committed to a secure hospital unit or being subject to a supervision order.An absolute discharge can also be imposed, which means no suitable punishment or order is applicable.“Given the high-profile nature of this case, I think it’s appropriate to urgently review the legal process to ensure that victims’ needs, public protection and confidence in our justice system are being properly balanced against the health challenges of the accused.”Three sets of psychiatric reports were submitted in pretrial hearings for Eleanor Donaldson.The judge in the case accepted she was unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds.She was charged with four counts of aiding and abetting and one count of cruelty to children in relation to her husband’s offences. The two victims cannot be identified.