Paedophile Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the DUP, has refuted multiple previous sexual crimes spanning over two decades. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the seasoned unionist, 61, entered a plea of not guilty to 18 charges, including rape, at Newry Crown Court on Tuesday morning.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is scheduled to stand trial next year for alleged acts against two victims, encompassing one accusation of rape, four charges of gross indecency, and thirteen charges of indecent assault.
Lady Donaldson, 58, is facing five accusations, including aiding and abetting her co-accused on four occasions and one charge of child maltreatment. She also refuted the allegations made against her.
At the hearing by Judge Ramsey, the defendants formally submitted not-guilty pleas, while Lady Donaldson additionally initiated a legal motion to dismiss two of the counts.
Amid a tight security operation, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the ex-MP for Lagan Valley, arrived in court, where police formed a protective line outside the building. Lady Donaldson arrived shortly after her husband entered the court, and the pair sat with a court officer between them.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson wore a navy suit and turquoise tie as he sat in the courtroom, where he was asked to confirm his name, age and address. He sat with his arms folded during the hearing, and after the charges were read to him, he was asked if he was not guilty or guilty.
The former MP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, replied “not guilty” to each charge and will go on trial in March, with the trial expected to last for two weeks.
Lady Donaldson, wearing a floral dress and black blazer, pleaded not guilty to three charges. Her lawyers have made a “no bill” application over two other charges, which would seek to throw them out. Both defendants were released on bail.
The arraignment followed a hearing in July, where a judge ruled that there was sufficient evidence to send the case to trial.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was arrested along with his wife on the morning of March 28, when police arrived at their home in Co Down. They were taken to Antrim police station, where they were questioned separately throughout the day. They were charged that night, with Sir Jeffrey quitting as DUP leader after he was arrested.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson had initially faced 11 charges, but another seven were laid against him after Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service considered police evidence. They are alleged to have occurred between 1985 and 2008 and involve two alleged victims.
An extra charge was also laid against Lady Donaldson, whose five charges are one count of aiding and abetting rape, three charges of aiding and abetting indecent assault and one count of cruelty to a person under 16 years.
Lady Donaldson’s aiding and abetting charges relate to two complainants and are alleged to have occurred between 1985 and 2006.
In May, it was confirmed Sir Jeffrey Donaldson would not stand in the general election, and Sorcha Eastwood of the Alliance Party took his former seat.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Northern Ireland’s longest-serving MP, was elected leader of the DUP in 2021. In 2003, he left the Ulster Unionist Party because of his opposition to the Good Friday Agreement and joined the DUP.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.