Former Northern Ireland unionist leader denies child sex abuse charges in court
7 reported
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, told a jury Thursday that he is “crystal clear” he did not rape an alleged victim decades ago, as he gave evidence at his trial on sex crime charges. Donaldson, 63, pleaded not guilty at Newry Crown Court two weeks ago to one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency, and 13 indecent assault charges involving two alleged victims from 1985 to 2008. Both alleged victims have testified that they were abused as children, with the older one, referred to as Complainant B, stating she was raped. Donaldson denied any wrongdoing, saying the rape allegation “just didn’t happen” and “it is just simply not true.” He was emotional at times, describing his head as “in a spin” after his arrest in 2024, when he resigned as DUP leader and as a U.K. lawmaker. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, has denied charges of aiding and abetting his alleged offending, and will face a fact-finding hearing but not a criminal trial on mental health grounds. The trial is expected to last another couple of weeks.
What’s reported
Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency, and 13 indecent assault charges involving two alleged victims from 1985 to 2008.
He told the jury he is “crystal clear” he did not rape the alleged victim, saying “it just didn’t happen” and “it is just simply not true.”
Both alleged victims have given evidence that they were abused as children; the older one, Complainant B, said she was raped.
Donaldson was arrested in 2024 while leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and resigned as leader and as a U.K. lawmaker.
His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, denied charges of aiding and abetting; she will face a fact-finding hearing but not a criminal trial on mental health grounds.
Donaldson denied any suggestion his wife witnessed the abuse, stating she “would have intervened immediately.”
The trial is expected to last another couple of weeks.
Key figures
Jeffrey Donaldson, former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), defendant
Eleanor Donaldson, wife of Jeffrey Donaldson, defendant on aiding and abetting charges
Complainant B, alleged victim referred to in court
Sources: abcnews.com
