Jury sworn in at trial of Jeffrey Donaldson for alleged sex offences
Summary
A jury has been sworn in at the trial of Jeffrey Donaldson, a former Northern Ireland MP and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, who faces multiple sexual offence charges covering 21 years. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, is also charged with helping him but will have a separate trial of facts due to mental health issues.Key Facts
- Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, is charged with rape, gross indecency, and indecent assault from 1985 to 2006 involving two alleged victims.
- His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, faces charges of aiding and abetting rape and indecent assault but is unfit for a normal trial due to mental health.
- Donaldson resigned as MP and leader of the DUP after being arrested in March 2024.
- The trial is held at Newry Crown Court and is expected to last about four weeks.
- The wife’s trial of facts will run at the same time but cannot lead to a criminal conviction.
- Donaldson was a key figure in Northern Irish politics and helped negotiate the post-Brexit Windsor framework.
- The DUP replaced Donaldson with Gavin Robinson to continue party leadership and work on the Windsor framework.
- Northern Ireland’s attorney general warned against social media posts that might reveal victims’ identities or influence the jury.
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