Ex DUP leader Donaldson guilty of child sex abuse charges including one of rape
Julian O'Neill, Crime and justice correspondentandLuke Sproule,BBC
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been convicted of 18 counts of sex abuse, including one count of rape, which he committed against two women when they were children.
The 63-year-old former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader showed no emotion and sat in the dock with his hands clasped as the verdicts were read out at Newry Crown Court on Monday.
His wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson had faced a trial of the facts on mental health grounds, meaning the jury was asked to find out if she did the acts or did not do the acts of which she was accused.
They found that she had done the acts in relation to all five charges – including four counts of aiding and abetting her husband's offending.
The jury of seven men and five women deliberated for 10 hours over three days before coming to their verdicts.
Warning: This article contains distressing information
Donaldson, dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and pink tie, was in the dock at the back of Court One, between two custody officers.
He was asked to stand for the verdicts.
As he was found guilty of each charge, he showed no signs of emotion and stared straight ahead.
Judge Paul Ramsey then remanded Donaldson in custody, telling court officers to "take Mr Donaldson down".
Donaldson, who is due to be sentenced in September, was told it would be a lengthy one.
He was then taken from Newry Crown Court in the back of a prison van to Maghaberry Prison, which is situated in his former constituency of Lagan Valley.
There were two victims in this case and they were referred to as Complainants A and B.
Complainant A is the younger of the two women who Donaldson sexually abused as children.
He was found guilty of eight offences against her, which occurred between 1999 and 2008.
In her interviews with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. which were played in court, Complainant A described a number of encounters with Donaldson including a kiss in which she said he put his tongue in her mouth.
She also said he had put his hands under her bra and rubbed her breasts.
In another encounter, the court heard he used a bright light, possibly a torch, to look at her private parts, an experience that she said made her feel "really frightened".
Complainant A also said his wife Eleanor Donaldson had witnessed the incident when he had rubbed her chest with his hand under her clothing, but did not intervene.
The 10 remaining offences, including the one count of rape, related to Complainant B and were committed between 1985 and 1991.
Like Complainant A, Complainant B took to the stand during the trial and the court also heard an interview she gave to police.
During it, she said Donaldson put his hand down her underwear "quite a lot" and detailed the rape.
The court heard of another incident in which Donaldson "lifted her top up and her bra and started to touch her exposed breasts".
Complainant B also said Eleanor Donaldson witnessed an incident in which her husband had "played" with her breasts, but walked away.
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Donaldson's arrival at Maghaberry prison
Timothy Busfield pushes to dismiss child sex-abuse indictment
Timothy Busfield is asking a New Mexico court to throw out his indictment on child sex-abuse allegations.
The "West Wing" actor, 68, filed a motion on Thursday, June 18, to quash the grand jury's February indictment arguing the prosecution did not present a fair and impartial case and misstated the law to the grand jury, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.
"The state has abdicated its role of administering justice and instead pursued an indictment against Mr. Busfield at the cost of evidence, Mr. Busfield's rights, and the independence and integrity of the grand jury," the filing says.
Busfield is facing four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child stemming from alleged incidents that occurred between late 2022 and early 2024 when he was working as a director on "The Cleaning Lady." According to prosecutors, he allegedly abused two twin boys who were actors on the series when they were 7 and 8.
Busfield's lawyer Larry Stein previously told USA TODAY in a statement that "the indictment was not unexpected" and maintained Busfield is innocent.
"As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich. What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial," Stein said. "The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure.""This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law," he continued. "Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court — where evidence matters — not behind closed doors."
A look back at the allegations against Timothy Busfield
The alleged victims both accused Busfield of inappropriate physical contact on the set of "The Cleaning Lady" and instructed them to call him "Uncle Tim." One also alleged Busfield touched his genitals several times, according to the criminal complaint.
An investigation began in November 2024 when a University of New Mexico Hospital staff member reported concerns that the boys were being groomed. Because the boys did not allege sexual contact at the time, the case did not meet criteria to continue.
On Oct. 3, the children's mother filed a police report and told Child Protective Services that one of her sons disclosed "inappropriate touching" from Busfield to a mental health counselor.
According to the affidavit, Busfield told authorities "The Cleaning Lady" set was a "playful environment" and admitted he probably tickled the boys, but said there was never any inappropriate contact. Busfield also allegedly said the claims were retaliation for the boys being replaced on the show.
Busfield surrendered himself to authorities in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, on Jan. 13. Before he was taken into custody, a video obtained by TMZ showed him promise to "confront these lies."
"They're horrible," he added. "They're all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys, and I'm [going to] fight it. … So, hang in there, and hopefully I'm out real soon."
Busfield pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance pending trial. Throughout the legal proceedings, his wife, "Little House on the Prairie" star Melissa Gilbert, has stood by his side and voiced her support for her husband.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Clare Mulroy, Brendan Morrow and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Timothy Busfield pushes to dismiss child sex-abuse indictment
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