Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for 18 historical sexual offences against two women when they were children.
The 63-year-old committed the crimes between 1985 and 2008, when the two victims were children.
In June a jury found him guilty of decades of abuse, including raping one victim when she was seven or eight years old, 13 indecent assaults and four counts of gross indecency
Donaldson was sentenced to 11 years for rape against Victim A and four years for all sentences on Victim B, to be served consecutively.
Sentencing him, Judge Paul Ramsey said Donaldson had experienced a “catastrophic descent into disgrace”.
“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,” said the judge.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said Donaldson “deserves every day of the lengthy prison service he has to serve.”
In a statement, the DUP said: “Today justice has been done with the sentencing of Jeffrey Donaldson for his vile and disgusting crimes against his victims.
“Our first thoughts are again with the innocent victims, who having suffered such evil, were re-traumatised through giving evidence at the trial.
“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.”
The party added: “Regardless of status or position every individual must be held accountable for their actions.
“He deserves every day of the lengthy prison sentence he has to serve following the guilty verdict for preying on innocent child victims.”
