Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson sexually assaulted a child and later apologised at a church-brokered meeting, a court has heard. The 63-year-old former MP faces 18 sexual offences, including one count of rape, spanning from 1985 to 2008 and involving two alleged victims. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, is charged with aiding and abetting rape and indecent assault. Both deny all charges.
On the second day of the trial at Newry Crown Court, prosecutor Rosemary Walsh outlined the case to a jury of five women and seven men. The trial is expected to last about four weeks. The court heard pre-recorded interviews with the complainants, known as Witness A and Witness B, who reported the alleged abuse to police in March 2024. They will be cross-examined via video link.
Witness B alleged that before she was 11, Donaldson repeatedly put his hand in her pants, and on one occasion touched her chest, inserted his fingers inside her genitals, and sexually assaulted her, leaving her 'feeling sick'. She also claimed that Eleanor Donaldson entered the room during one incident but left, shutting the door. As a teenager in the mid-1990s, Witness B told a woman at a Christian rehabilitation centre about the abuse, leading to a church-brokered meeting where Donaldson allegedly apologised.
Witness A alleged that Donaldson touched her chest and kissed her inappropriately, inserting his tongue in her mouth. When challenged, he allegedly laughed it off as a joke. He also made comments about her appearance, including the size of her breasts. After his arrest, Donaldson told police the meeting with Witness B occurred but no specific allegations were made, and he called the rape accusation 'unbelievable'.
Eleanor Donaldson was not present in court, having been judged unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds. She faces a trial of the facts, which tests evidence but cannot result in a conviction. Both proceedings will run simultaneously with separate legal teams. The trial judge, Paul Ramsey, reminded the jury that Donaldson, who was knighted in 2016 and resigned as MP and DUP leader after his arrest, is entitled to a fair trial.
