Trial of Jeffrey Donaldson

R v Jeffrey and Eleanor Donaldson
Court	Newry Crown Court
Full case name	THE KING v JEFFREY MARK DONALDSON AND ELEANOR MARY ELIZABETH DONALDSON (24/051565)
Started	26 May 2026
Charge	Jeffrey Donaldson rape (1 count) gross indecency (4 counts) indecent assault (13 counts)
Court membership
Judge sitting	Judge Paul Ramsey

In late March 2024, the then leader of the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was charged with rape and other sexual offences. His wife, Eleanor, was also charged with aiding-and-abetting offences relating to the same matter. After several delays a trial date of 26 May 2026 was set for both defendants, but a subsequent court ruling found that Eleanor was unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues.

Background

Jeffrey Donaldson speaking in the House of Commons, February 2024.

On 30 June 2021, Donaldson became leader of the DUP following the resignation of Edwin Poots. As part of the party's protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol, First Minister Paul Givan resigned in February 2022, collapsing the Northern Ireland Executive. Although initially opposed to the Windsor Framework, Donaldson announced on 30 January 2024 that the DUP had secured sufficient changes to the deal to end its boycott and return to Stormont.

At around 6 am on 28 March 2024, Donaldson and his wife were arrested at their home by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and taken to Antrim Police Station for questioning regarding non-recent sexual offences. That evening, Donaldson was charged with rape and additional sexual offences, while Eleanor was charged with aiding-and-abetting offences. Donaldson resigned as DUP leader and stated in his resignation letter that he would be "strenuously contesting the charges".

Donaldson was initially charged with 11 offences relating to two complainants: one count of rape allegedly committed between 1985 and 1991, one count of gross indecency towards a child allegedly committed in 2005 or 2006, and nine counts of indecent assault allegedly committed between 1985 and 2006. Eleanor was charged with aiding and abetting cruelty, rape, and indecent assault, relating to two complainants and alleged to have occurred between 1985 and 2004. As co-defendants, they were bailed to separate addresses; she returned to their home in Dromore, while he travelled to London to reside in an apartment in the Greenwich area.

Pretrial legal proceedings

On 24 April 2024, Donaldson and his wife appeared before Newry Magistrates' Court to confirm that they understood the charges. They were bailed at £350 each, and the restriction preventing contact between them was lifted. On 3 July 2024, they again appeared before the court, where prosecution lawyers stated that there was a prima facie case to answer and neither defendant made contrary submissions. Both confirmed they understood the charges and declined to make verbal or written statements.

The court heard that Donaldson now faced 18 charges in total:

• one charge of rape
• four of gross indecency towards a child
• thirteen charges of indecent assault of a female child

Eleanor's charges increased from four to five:

• one charge of aiding and abetting rape
• one charge of cruelty towards a person under the age of 16
• three charges of aiding and abetting the assault of a female child

Both were released on continuing bail. On 10 September 2024, at an arraignment hearing at Newry Crown Court, Donaldson entered a not guilty plea to all 18 historical sexual offences.

In late October 2024, Eleanor's legal team applied to have two of her five charges withdrawn. During a February 2025 hearing, a video recording of one complainant's Achieving Best Evidence interview was played to Judge Paul Ramsey. Defence submissions were made by Ian Turkington KC, while prosecution barrister Rosie Walsh KC argued for the charges to remain. Both defendants were present but were not required to make submissions during the three‑hour hearing. On 28 February 2025, Judge Ramsey rejected the application and ruled that Eleanor should be tried on all five charges. Her legal team confirmed she would plead not guilty to all charges.

On 14 March 2025, it was announced that Eleanor was unfit to stand trial due to a medical issue. Judge Ramsey granted an adjournment, with a review scheduled for 16 May 2025 to consider a new trial date. A new start date of 3 November 2025 was later listed, with an assessment of Eleanor's fitness expected by mid‑July 2025. On 5 June 2025, Turkington KC provided medical reports from a consultant psychiatrist indicating a "significant mental deterioration", and further examinations were deemed necessary to assess her capacity to stand trial.

On 11 September 2025, the court heard that Judge Ramsey had received a psychiatrist's report commissioned by Eleanor's legal team, and that a prosecution‑appointed doctor would assess her the following week. The judge said he would review the case on 10 October 2025 and hoped to determine whether the trial could proceed in early November. However, the case was adjourned again until late October 2025 after it emerged that some of Eleanor's medical notes had not yet been provided to the prosecution. On 20 October 2025, Judge Ramsey vacated the 3 November trial date due to Eleanor's continuing poor health. Although no new date was set, he indicated that the trial would likely take place in the new year, with a further hearing scheduled for 23 January 2026 to consider updated psychiatric reports.

In February 2026, a trial date of 26 May 2026 was set for both defendants, but a later hearing ruled that Eleanor was unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues. Dr Christine Kennedy testified that she was "severely depressed" and suicidal, rendering her unable to instruct her legal team or follow proceedings. Judge Ramsey directed that she should instead undergo a trial of the facts concurrent with her husband's criminal trial, in which the jury would determine only whether she committed the acts alleged. He also rejected an application from Donaldson's legal team for separate trials.

Trial

On the morning of 26 May 2026, Donaldson appeared at Newry Crown Court for the opening day of his trial. Eleanor, having been declared unfit to stand trial, did not attend. After jury selection had concluded, Judge Paul Ramsey informed the jury of five men and seven women that the trial was expected to last between three and four weeks. On the same day, the PSNI issued a statement warning the public against online commentary or speculation that could prejudice proceedings or identify the complainants.

Opening statements

Prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh KC outlined to the jury how, two-and-a-half years earlier, the PSNI had been approached by two women who made allegations of child sexual abuse against Donaldson. The older of the two, referred to in court as 'Complainant B', told police of an incident in which Donaldson put his hand inside her underwear and sexually assaulted her, and another in which he fondled her exposed breasts without her consent. She further alleged that, during one incident, Eleanor entered the room while the abuse was taking place but immediately left again, closing the door behind her. 'Complainant A' also alleged that Donaldson had touched her breasts and, on another occasion, had forced his tongue into her mouth while kissing her against her will.

Walsh KC said that both complainants estimated that the abuse began when they were in primary school, although their recollections of the precise timelines were not exact. 'Complainant B' alleged that Donaldson had raped her while she pretended to be asleep, recalling "wanting to go home" afterwards. She additionally claimed in police interviews that frequent indecent assaults were carried out over a number of years, and that as she grew older she confided in several people. A meeting was arranged by a religious group between the complainant and Donaldson in January 1997, and although he apologised for what he "had done in the past", nothing specific was discussed. 'Complainant A' told police about becoming sexually aware from a young age and having vivid dreams of men doing horrible things to her. She also recalled waking one night to find Donaldson between her legs with a torch. She said she later confronted him about his behaviour, during which he allegedly nodded and looked at the floor but said nothing.

The court heard that Donaldson denied all accusations following his arrest in March 2024, while his wife Eleanor denied having aided and abetted his alleged offending. Walsh KC clarified that the charges against Eleanor were that she was aware of what was occurring at the time of the alleged offences.

Prosecution evidence

The trial began with both of Donaldson's accusers appearing via video link to testify for the prosecution.

'Complainant A' testimony

The March 2024 police interview of 'Complainant A' was played to the court, in which she told officers that Donaldson began abusing her from around primary school age, often fondling her breasts. She alleged that he continued to make comments about the size of her breasts in the years that followed, and that his inappropriate behaviour was "laughed off as a joke". She also recalled an alleged incident as a teenager in which Donaldson used a bright light to examine her genitals. When she reached university age, 'Complainant A' said she realised the behaviour was abnormal and became angry, considering the accolades he received in his public role as a politician. She initially confided in her husband about what had happened and later spoke to a counsellor from a charity that supported child abuse victims, before approaching the PSNI to make an official statement. 'Complainant A' also confronted Donaldson in the presence of another person, demanding that he confirm what had happened to her as a child; however, he allegedly looked at the floor and silently nodded his head rather than respond to her accusations.

After the video had ended, 'Complainant A' was questioned via videolink by prosecutor Walsh KC regarding a letter sent to her by Donaldson in June 2020. The letter was read aloud to the court, in which Donaldson expressed "how much I truly regret all the hurt, pain and distressed I have caused", adding that he took "full responsibility for it all" and "I understand how deep the wounds are caused by my sinful and selfish actions". When asked what she thought the letter was referring to, 'Complainant A' said she felt Donaldson was trying to apologise for the abuse he committed but didn't want to formally admit to it in writing.

Under cross-examination from Donaldson's barrister Kieran Vaughan KC, she denied having "foggy" recollections of the alleged incidents, asserting that what she meant when using that term during police interviews was that the exact timeline of when they occurred was unclear to her, adding that she remembered the incidents themselves in great detail due to the nature of what happened. Vaughan KC challenged 'Complainant A' by saying none of the incidents actually happened and that she had either made them up or dreamt them, to which she replied that someone randomly dreaming about it for no reason would be a ridiculous idea. Vaughan KC went on to highlight inconsistencies in her statements to the PSNI compared with her testimony in court, where she had reported "touching over clothing" to the police but told the jury about Donaldson putting his hands up her top onto bare skin. 'Complainant A' dismissed the discrepancy and maintained that what she had said in court was factually correct.

Vaughan KC also asserted that the letter from Donaldson was not an apology for sexual assaulting her but a request for forgiveness for other behaviour, and that she had taken it out of context. He told the court that Donaldson had been kicked out of his house for a period in 2020 after his wife suspected him of having an affair, with Eleanor going so far as to plant a covert listening device in his car to gather evidence, and that the actual context of the letter was a marital dispute. 'Complainant A' rejected this argument, describing Donaldson as a very astute person who would never put anything incriminating in writing but would instead only strongly hint at it. She also alleged that Eleanor had witnessed Donaldson touching her inappropriately but did not intervene to stop it. 'Complainant A' told the court that before making an official complaint, in early 2023 she had spoken to the minister of her church along with the Head of Safeguarding for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. When challenged by Vaughan KC as to why she did not approach the police at that time, 'Complainant A' said she was hesitant to do so knowing the huge public and media attention the case would attract due to Donaldson's high profile.

'Complainant A' was also cross-examined by Eleanor Donaldson's barrister Ian Turkington KC, who questioned her about the reliability of her childhood memories regarding the alleged incidents of abuse, and accused her of making it up as she went along. Turkington KC made reference to notes taken during a counselling session where her memory was deemed to be "really poor", however 'Complainant A' asserted that was only the opinion of the person taking the notes. Regarding his insinuation that she fabricated the allegations, 'Complainant A' replied she found his proposition ridiculous and reaffirmed that Jeffery Donaldson had abused her on numerous occasions and his wife Eleanor was aware, adding both defendants had laughed it off as a joke whenever she raised the issue. 'Complainant A' specifically recalled telling Eleanor about the incident where Jeffery used a bright light to examine her genitals, and although she was asked to provide corroborating details about the alleged incident it was never discussed again.

'Complainant B' testimony

A recorded police interview of 'Complainant B' was played to the court, where she described an alleged incident where Jeffrey Donaldson raped her when she was still attending primary school. Although she recalled many previous incidents where Donaldson put his hands in her underwear, she was anxious as she felt this time the abuse would be different. 'Complainant B' claimed she pretended to be asleep, and that after spreading her legs apart Donaldson then sexualy abused her with both his hands and his penis. 'Complainant B' also described another incident where Donaldson followed her into a room and after closing the door lifted up her top to fondle her breasts. She further alleged that Eleanor Donaldson entered the room and seen what was happening, but then “turned round and walked out” closing the door as she exited.

Appearing via videolink to give evidence for the prosecution,'Complainant B' went onto detail how she was referred to a Christian center as a teenager after getting involved with alcohol and drugs. A meeting was thereafter arranged between herself and Donaldson when she was about 17 years old at the Christian Family Centre in Armoy, where he apologised for "what he’d done to me in the past". 'Complainant B' said she knew the apology for sexual abuse because she told the daughter of the managers of the centre (Linda and Davey Hoy) about the previous incidents. 'Complainant B' further alleged that in the summer of 2023 Linda Hoy sent her a text message saying that Eleanor Donaldson needed to met her as she "needs my forgiveness to move forward", although 'Complainant B' never replied to the request.

During cross-examination, Donaldson's barrister Vaughan KC challenged 'Complainant B' that none of the alleged incidents of abuse actually happened, highlighting how she had quoted an assortment of different ages and times to various people. 'Complainant B' replied that she was telling the truth and all the incidents definitely took place, as much as she wished they had never happened at all.