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The jury in the ongoing sex abuse trial involving Sir Jeffrey Donaldson continues their deliberations on the third day. Judge Paul Ramsey provided a summary of the case on Thursday morning before sending the 12-member jury to begin considering their verdicts. The trial is now entering its fifth week at Newry Crown Court.
Sir Jeffrey, who is the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges. These allegations include one count of rape and relate to claims that he sexually abused two women during their childhood. His wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, is also implicated, denying five charges of aiding and abetting the alleged offences.
According to the judge’s instructions, the jury must be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the prosecution has proven the case against Sir Jeffrey before reaching a conviction. The jurors resumed their deliberations on Thursday afternoon and have now spent around seven hours reviewing the evidence. Both complainants, referred to as Complainants A and B, have given testimony during the proceedings, and Sir Jeffrey himself has testified over a period of two days.
The Donaldsons were arrested at their home in County Down and were charged on 28 March 2024. Sir Jeffrey, aged 63, faces accusations including rape, four counts of gross indecency, and 13 counts of indecent assault, with the alleged offences spanning from 1985 to 2008. Lady Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was deemed unfit for a conventional trial at a pre-trial hearing last month due to mental health concerns. She is not taking part in the trial in the usual way, but a trial of the facts is being conducted in her absence. While the jury will determine whether she committed the alleged acts, this process cannot lead to a criminal conviction against her
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