Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been handed down a 15 year jail sentence after he was found guilty of all 18 counts of rape and sexual assault.

The disgraced politician was found guilty of the charges in June. Sentencing took place on Thursday at Newry Crown Court.

The charges are in relation to two women when they were children. The offences took place between 1985 and 2008.

The 63-year-old was sentenced to 11 years for the rape charge and other offences against his first victim.

A further four years for offences committed against his second victim were handed down to the former MP.

The sentences will run consecutively.

Judge Paul Ramsey handed down the sentence on Thursday morning, branding the case ‘disturbing and disquieting.’

The judge summarised some of the victim impact statements, which heard how Victim A felt ‘retraumatised’ by the trial process.

The judge said the woman said the impact of Jeffrey Donaldson’s abuse did not stop when the abuse ended, saying she grew up feeling ‘ashamed and dirty.’

She added that the last number of years had been a ‘living nightmare.’

Victim B’s victim impact statement heard of how she prayed daily to God to allow her to die.

Speaking on Thursday, Judge Ramsey noted how Donaldson had ‘doubled down on his denials’ since his conviction.

‘There has not been, and doubtless will not be, one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide his victims with some crumb of comfort,’ he said.

He said Donaldson had experienced a ‘catastrophic descent into disgrace.’

A spokesperson for the Democratic Union Party (DUP) extended thoughts to the victims of Donaldson’s ‘vile and disgusting crimes.’

They said: ‘They deserve our compassion, support and respect. We hope they can find some measure of comfort and can look ahead to a new chapter in their lives.

‘Regardless of status or position every individual must be held accountable for their actions.’

The party spokesperson added that Donaldson ‘deserves every day of the lengthy prison sentence he has to serve’ following the guilty verdict.