In the trial of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the jury was urged to consider the "pain and hurt" of the two women accusing him of child sexual abuse. Prosecution highlighted the "long and arduous process" for the complainants, who made allegations in March 2024 after years of suppressing their experiences. Sir Jeffrey denies multiple charges.
Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 sexual abuse charges, including rape, spanning 1985-2008. Testifying at Newry crown court, the former DUP leader stated allegations from two women, referred to as witnesses A and B, are "simply not true" and "unbelievable". His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, faces a trial of the facts on aiding and abetting charges.
Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson denied all sex abuse charges against him during his trial. He stated "No" when asked if he accepted the claims made by two women, and explicitly denied a rape allegation, stating "It just didn't happen."
Pastor Stephen Matthews testifies in Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's sex abuse trial, recounting a 1990s conversation with Complainant B, who alleged sexual abuse by someone rising through the Official Unionist Party, implying it was 'obvious' the abuser was Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
The husband of an alleged victim in the sex abuse trial of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson testified at Newry Crown Court, describing the moment his wife revealed she had been abused by Donaldson on multiple occasions. He became emotional as he recounted her fear and the long-term trauma she experienced.
A jury in Northern Ireland heard details of an alleged child rape by former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson. The complainant, now an adult, described two incidents from 1985-2008. Donaldson denies all charges, while his wife, Eleanor, faces a trial of the facts.
An alleged victim in the Sir Jeffrey Donaldson trial claims he apologised for rape at a Christian centre years after the alleged abuse. Complainant B stated Donaldson apologised during a meeting arranged at the Christian Family Centre in Armoy when she was a teenager. The trial continues at Newry Crown Court.
A video of a police interview with Complainant B, one of two alleged victims, was played at Newry Crown Court in the trial of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. The woman, who accuses Donaldson of rape and indecent assault between 1985 and 1991, described alleged incidents of sexual abuse.
A woman, Complainant A, testified in court that Lady Eleanor Donaldson was aware of alleged sexual abuse by her husband, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, but "did nothing about it." Sir Jeffrey denies 18 sex abuse charges, while Lady Donaldson denies aiding and abetting.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, and his wife Eleanor, 60, face trial in Newry crown court for alleged sex offences spanning 21 years, including rape and gross indecency, with the trial expected to last at least four weeks.
The trial of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson on sex abuse charges is scheduled to begin next week. A pre-trial hearing was held Tuesday, with jury selection planned for May 26. Both deny all charges.
