Former DUP leader Donaldson denies abuse claims at trial

Former Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson has repeatedly denied all allegations of historical sexual abuse against two women during his ongoing trial at Newry Crown Court. The jury this week heard audio recordings of police interviews conducted with Donaldson following his arrest in March 2024, in which he insisted the accusations were untrue.

Donaldson, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges, including one count of assault and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. The charges span a period between 1985 and 2008 and involve two women, known as Complainant A and Complainant B, who allege they were abused as children. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, has pleaded not guilty to five charges of aiding and abetting his alleged offending. She is undergoing a separate "trial of the facts" after being deemed medically unfit for a conventional criminal trial.

In the police interviews, Donaldson was questioned about specific allegations. He denied ever putting his hands down the pants of Complainant B or pulling her legs apart, stating that did not happen. Regarding an incident where Complainant A alleged he used a light to look at her, Donaldson said he had...