Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has appeared in court charged with rape, gross indecency, and other sexual offences spanning 21 years. The 61-year-old faces 11 charges, including one count of rape, one count of gross indecency towards a child, and nine counts of indecent assault on a female, relating to two complainants between 1985 and 2006.
His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 58, appeared alongside him at Newry Magistrates' Court in County Down on Wednesday. She was charged with aiding and abetting rape and indecent assault, as well as two counts of cruelty. The couple, who married in 1987, both deny the allegations.
The rape charge alleges that Donaldson had unlawful sexual intercourse with the alleged victim without her consent between 1985 and 1991. The nine indecent assault charges cover the period from 1985 to 2006, while the gross indecency charge relates to a child between 2005 and 2006. Eleanor Donaldson's charges span 1985 to 2004.
During the seven-minute hearing, the couple spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth, and that they understood the charges. No pleas were taken. Judge Eamonn King released them on continuing bail of £350, with conditions including no contact with witnesses. The case will return to court on 22 May to set a timetable.
The charges stem from a complaint made in early March, which prompted an investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Donaldson stepped down as DUP leader following his arrest on 28 March but remains an MP. He had been widely praised in February for negotiating a deal with Downing Street on post-Brexit trading arrangements, ending a two-year DUP boycott of power sharing.
