Key points: Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has denied rape and multiple sexual‑offence charges relating to two complainants who say they were abused between 1985 and 2008. Donaldson pleaded not guilty at Newry Crown Court and told the jury the rape allegation "didn’t happen." He resigned as DUP leader and from Parliament after his 2024 arrest. His wife, Eleanor, denies charges of aiding and abetting and faces a fact‑finding hearing; she will not face a criminal trial on mental health grounds.
Former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Denies Child Sex‑Abuse Allegations at Newry Trial
FILE - Jeffrey Donaldson arrives at Newry Crown Court, England, on May 27, 2026. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)(Brian Lawless/PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) — Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland's largest unionist party, told a jury on Thursday that he did not rape or sexually abuse two women when they were children, describing the allegations as "simply not true" as he gave evidence in his sex-offence trial at Newry Crown Court.
Donaldson, 63, pleaded not guilty two weeks ago to one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency and 13 counts of indecent assault. The charges relate to two complainants who say incidents involving Donaldson occurred between 1985 and 2008.
Denial In Court
Both alleged victims have already given evidence, telling the court they were abused when they were young. The elder complainant, identified in court as Complainant B, has accused Donaldson of rape; both say they were touched when they were around primary school age.
Giving evidence on Thursday, Donaldson rejected the allegations. Speaking specifically about the rape claim, he said: "It just didn’t happen, I am absolutely crystal clear about that." He added that such behaviour was something he "would never have done" and reiterated the accusations were untrue.
Personal Impact And Context
Donaldson was serving as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) when he was arrested in 2024. He stepped down as DUP leader and resigned his seat in the U.K. Parliament following his arrest. He led the DUP from 2021 to 2023 and during that period was a leading figure in Northern Ireland's unionist politics.
He became emotional at times while giving testimony and said his head was "in a spin" after the arrest. On questions about his wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, he denied any suggestion she had witnessed abuse and failed to intervene: "She would have been very angry, she would have intervened immediately," he told the court.
Related Proceedings
Eleanor Donaldson has denied charges that she aided and abetted her husband's alleged offending. She faces a fact-finding hearing on those allegations and, on mental health grounds, will not proceed to a criminal trial at this stage.
The trial is expected to continue for another couple of weeks.
Note: All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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