Jeffrey Donaldson: Lady Donaldson told police ex-DUP leader would not talk about alleged breast touching incident

Lady Eleanor Donaldson, wife of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, informed police that her husband refused to discuss an incident she witnessed involving him and one of the two alleged victims in an ongoing sex abuse trial. The court heard that Complainant B had previously testified at Newry Crown Court, stating that Lady Donaldson had seen Sir Jeffrey touching her breasts, although she said nothing at the time and walked away.

During a police interview following her arrest in 2024, Lady Donaldson described the encounter as an “unexplained situation,” emphasizing that both Sir Jeffrey and Complainant B were fully clothed. She recounted seeing them standing together but not engaging in any identifiable wrongdoing. When asked about the possibility of sexual activity, she admitted uncertainty, saying, “I just didn’t know, I’ll be honest… he never gave me details about anything. He would not talk about it.” Despite feeling uneasy, Lady Donaldson said she was told the matter had been dealt with and was discouraged from asking further questions.

The trial concerns 18 charges of sexual abuse alleged to have occurred between 1985 and 2008, involving two complainants who were minors at the time. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), denies all charges. Meanwhile, Lady Donaldson faces a trial of the facts, having been deemed unfit for a conventional trial due to mental health reasons and is not actively participating in the proceedings. She recounted that years after the incident, she was made aware that Sir Jeffrey had sought forgiveness from Complainant B during a meeting in Armoy but was never told the specifics of what he was apologizing for. Sir Jeffrey reportedly dismissed her inquiries, stating, “that’s in the past and it’s been dealt with.”

Regarding the more severe allegations, Lady Donaldson strongly denied that Sir Jeffrey was involved in the rape of Complainant B, expressing devastation and disbelief. She also stated she had no knowledge about the claims made by Complainant A and declared, “I’ve never been party or seen anything like that.” When questioned about the seriousness of the allegations, she described her reaction as one of horror and disbelief. Furthermore, during Sir Jeffrey’s police interview, he denied that a letter he wrote to one of the complainants in 2020 was an apology for sexual abuse, instead asserting the letter expressed regret for other unrelated matters. Sir Jeffrey also rejected claims that he admitted to abusing Complainant A during a confrontation, maintaining that their recollections of the conversation differed.

The prosecution has concluded its case, and the jury, composed of seven men and five women, has been instructed to return to court after a short recess to allow the judge to address legal matters. Both complainants came forward to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in March 2024. Sir Jeffrey firmly denies all allegations, including gross indecency and indecent assault against Complainant A during her childhood, and other offences relating to Complainant B, which include rape and date back to 1985

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