Sir Jeffrey Donaldson sex offences trial delayed as co-accused wife 'unfit to stand trial'
The case against Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife on charges relating to alleged historical sex offences is being delayed as Lady Donaldson is currently “unfit to stand trial”.
The trial was due to start in less than a fortnight, but at Newry Crown Court today (14th) Judge Paul Ramsey granted an adjournment application on medical grounds.
No new date has been set.
Eleanor Donaldson’s legal team told today’s court that a doctor believes “her condition is challenging and unchanged”, and that she is currently unfit to stand trial.
Her barrister, Ciara Ennis, said she intends to obtain a specialist report to ascertain the full medical position, but wanted to inform the court as soon as the “medical picture became apparent”.
While prosecuting barrister Fiona O’Kane said her side is neutral on the issue, she did raise concerns about the effect of the delay on the people who have made allegations against the Donaldsons, both of whom she described as “vulnerable”.
She said: “What we are concerned about is the imminence of this trial, the nature of this trial [is] we have two vulnerable complainants who are obviously going to be emotionally affected and very upset at any ongoing delay.”
Judge Ramsey received two medical letters from a GP, and stated: “The medical evidence in front of me suggests this case obviously cannot proceed on the 24th so I will formally take it out of the list.”
He said he would review the case again on May 16.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, 62, who did not attend today’s hearing, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.
The charges include one count of rape as well as allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency.
The charges span a time period between 1985 and 2008, and there are two alleged victims.
Eleanor Donaldson, 58, of Dublinhill Road, Dromore, is facing charges of aiding and abetting, which she denies.
Sir Jeffrey, the long-standing MP for Lagan Valley, was arrested and charged at the end of March last year.
He resigned as DUP leader and was suspended from the party after the allegations emerged.
Weeks before his arrest, he led the DUP back into Stormont after a two-year boycott of power-sharing institutions.
Previous deputy leader Gavin Robinson was appointed his successor as DUP chief.