Jury hears further police interviews with the Donaldsons following their arrest in March 2024

Jeffrey Donaldson repeatedly denied claims of sexual abuse during police interviews, a court has heard. The former DUP leader attended Newry Crown Court on Monday to face trial for historical sexual offences, with the court hearing audio recordings of his interviews with police following his arrest in 2024. The court heard that when the circumstances of […]

A court that the former DUP leader repeatedly denied claims of sexual abuse against two alleged victims during police interviews

On Monday, the jury of five women and seven men heard that Donaldson had been interviewed by police for four and a half hours following his arrest in the early hours of March 28 2024.

The case involving the former DUP Leader has now entered its second week at Newry Crown Court

Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

On Friday, the jury of five women and seven men heard evidence from Laura Claire Selfridge, who is the daughter of David and Linda Hoy, who founded the Christian Family Centre in Armoy, Co Antrim

The witness said his partner had “gone into detail”, stating that Donaldson had inappropriately touched her “on a number of occasions” and that he kissed her and “put his tongue down her mouth”.

A court heard former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson's spouse denies enabling rape

The woman also denied she had raised the allegations as a teenager as a way of getting out of attending a Christian centre

A police interview with the second alleged victim in Jeffrey Donaldson’s sexual offences trial was played at Newry Crown Court, before she was cross-examined.

The complainant told of hearing the former DUP leader’s “heavy breathing” during the alleged sexual assault

Warning: Contains graphic content. She said: “I remember I couldn’t tell anybody, I remember telling my imaginary friend.”

Lady Donaldson faces a 'trial of facts' on charges of aiding and abetting, which she has formally denied.

The former DUP leader, who has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences, sat in the dock at the rear of the courtroom wearing a dark-blue suit and taking occasional notes

Ex-MP Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offence

Complainant A also rejected suggestions by a barrister that she is “making this up as you go along” in relation to the allegations.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 historical sexual offences, including one count of rape, alongside allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency

The claim about Lady Eleanor Donaldson's alleged actions emerged during evidence at today's hearing

The woman, known as complainant A, was cross-examined throughout Friday at Newry Crown Court at the sex offences trial of the ex-MP and his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson

'It was a huge decision. I knew this would be an extremely public affair, involving media. It was a huge, huge decision'

Kieran Vaughan KC asked the woman why she had not handed the letter to police when she had first been interviewed.

A woman told the Jeffrey Donaldson trial she was subjected to 'skin on skin' touching as a child.

Challenged by a barrister over “inconsistencies” between her evidence in court and what she had told a police officer, Complainant A insisted “the facts are the facts”.

Complainant A said: “To imply someone would dream things without a reason is ridiculous, it is insulting.”

The jury heard he described himself in the letter as a “sinner” and had failed to address his “sinful nature for far too many years”.

Complainant A said she became "very angry" and said she had “spent her life watching him in a public role, getting accolade after accolade”.

The former MP is accused of rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault

The prosecution has begun opening its case against Sir Jeffrey Donaldson - the former Democratic Unionist Party leader - who is accused of 18 sex abuse offences

The former DUP leader and MP is accused of rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault