Jeffrey Donaldson Denies Rape Allegation in Court
Jeffrey Donaldson, former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has firmly denied an allegation that he raped a girl several years ago, describing the claim as "simply not true" during his testimony at Newry Crown Court.
During the third week of his trial on sexual abuse charges, the ex-MP also rejected an allegation that he had touched the same girl's breasts, calling it "just unbelievable." Donaldson, 63, appeared emotional at times while giving evidence after being called by his defence barrister, Kieran Vaughan KC.
Charges and Trial Details
Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences, which include one count of rape, as well as allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. The charges cover a period between 1985 and 2008 and involve two alleged victims, referred to in court as witnesses A and B. Evidence has been presented from both witnesses, who allege they were abused as children.
Eleanor Donaldson, 60, the former DUP leader's wife, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband's alleged offences. She has been deemed unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds and is instead facing a trial of the facts, which examines the evidence but cannot lead to a criminal conviction.
Donaldson's Background and Political Career
In his testimony, Donaldson outlined his political background, stating he developed an interest in politics at 18 and was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at 22. He was elected to the UK Parliament in 1997 and participated in negotiations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
When asked by his lawyer if he accepted any of the allegations made by the complainants, Donaldson responded:
"No"
Letter to Witness A and Its Context
The court previously heard about a letter Donaldson wrote to witness A in June 2020, in which he expressed "regret" over the "hurt, pain and distress I have caused." Donaldson clarified that the letter does not pertain to any alleged abuse but relates to a separate matter.
He read extracts of the letter aloud in court and was questioned whether it referred to incidents of abuse. He replied:
"Absolutely not. This is not the reason why this letter was written."
Response to Rape Allegation by Witness B
Regarding allegations by witness B that Donaldson raped her, he told the court:
"It just didn’t happen. I am absolutely crystal clear about that. It is not something I would ever have done. It is just simply not true."
Denial of Wife's Knowledge or Involvement
Donaldson also rejected suggestions that his wife had knowledge of or witnessed any abuse without intervening. He stated:
"She would have been very angry, she would have intervened immediately."
He recounted that he and his wife were asleep when police arrived at 6 a.m. one morning in 2024 to arrest them, describing it as a complete shock with no prior indication.
When questioned by the prosecution about his wife's awareness of the alleged abuse, Donaldson said:
"There was no abuse and there was nothing to know."
He added:
"There is absolutely no way Eleanor would have agreed, been party to, consented to anything of that kind of nature. That just did not happen, it simply did not happen."
