Former Head of Northern Irish Political Party Convicted of Child Sexual Crimes

Jeffrey Donaldson led Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party until early 2024. On June 22, 2026, a court found him guilty of sexual crimes against children, including rape. These crimes occurred long before he became party leader. The conviction shakes his party at a difficult moment for Northern Ireland's power-sharing government and raises questions about whether institutions properly handled abuse cases across politics.