Jury sent out in Jeffrey Donaldson sex offences trial

By Jonathan McCambridge (Press Association)

The jury has been sent out in the sex offences trial of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

Judge Paul Ramsey sent the jury of five women and seven men out shortly after noon on Thursday at Newry Crown Court.

The 63-year-old former MP has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency, and span a period between 1985 and 2008 involving two alleged victims.

Donaldson, wearing a dark grey suit and a pink tie, sat in the dock at the back of the court with his arms folded while the judge delivered his final remarks to the jury.

The judge said: “We are now reaching the closing stages of the trial.”

He said the jurors had to be satisfied the prosecution had proven the case against Donaldson beyond reasonable doubt before they could convict.

Complainants A and B have both given evidence at the trial.

Both women allege they were abused as children.

Donaldson spent two days giving evidence during the trial.

His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending.

She is facing a trial of the facts on mental health grounds.

The trial of the facts will test the evidence in the case but cannot result in a criminal conviction.

Concluding his remarks to the jury, the judge said if they found the evidence of the two complainants reliable, they could convict.

He told them if they were not satisfied or sure, they should find the defendants not guilty.

The judge told the jury he was “interested in a unanimous verdict” at this stage.