Jeffrey Donaldson: Former DUP leader sentenced to 15 years for child sex abuse convictions

Donaldson will also be required to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The former Lagan Valley MP has been in Maghaberry Prison since then and returned to it on Thursday afternoon after being sentenced.

Donaldson spends up to 18 hours a day in his cell at the prison, which holds around 1,600 inmates.

Since being convicted, he has been held in its Moyola Unit, a part of the jail used for prisoners with health care needs, and does not share a cell.

It is thought he is in this unit for his own safety from risk of attack or verbal abuse from other prisoners.

Judge Ramsey said aggravating features include the length and protracted nature of the offending spanning many years.

He also took into account the youth of the victims and the age difference between them and Donaldson, adding that he could not accept Donaldson’s lack of other convictions as a mitigating factor.

The judge said by contesting a case, a defendant avoids the reduction in sentence they would have got if they had pleaded guilty.

“It is highly significant that the defendant denied the offences to the police, he denied them in evidence and to the probation officer he continues to maintain his denials,” the judge said.

“He has doubled-down in his denials.

“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.”