Jeffrey Donaldson to appeal convictions for child sex abuse offences

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has formally begun the process of appealing his convictions for multiple child sex abuse offences.

His legal team lodged appeal papers with the Court of Appeal in Belfast on Friday, setting out the grounds on which they will seek to have all 18 guilty verdicts overturned.

Donaldson is currently being held in Maghaberry Prison while awaiting sentencing after a jury found him guilty of 18 offences involving two female victims who were children at the time of the abuse.

The convictions include one count of rape, along with a number of other serious sexual offences.

Appeal process begins

Lodging an appeal does not overturn Donaldson’s convictions. Instead, it begins the legal process in which the Court of Appeal will consider whether there are grounds to quash the verdicts or order another trial.

The court will examine the arguments submitted by Donaldson’s legal team before deciding whether the appeal should proceed. A hearing date has not yet been announced.

Awaiting sentence

Donaldson remains in custody pending sentencing.

The appeal process and sentencing are separate legal proceedings, although the appeal has now become the next significant development in one of Northern Ireland’s highest-profile criminal cases.

The Court of Appeal will now consider the application before deciding the next steps, while sentencing proceedings in the case are expected to continue through the courts.