Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has appeared in court charged with historical sex offences. The long-standing Lagan Valley MP has been accused of a total of 11 sex offences, including rape and gross indecency with a child.
Donaldson, 61, Northern Ireland’s longest-serving MP, has said he intends to strenuously contest the charges, which relate to two alleged victims.
Mr Donaldson, who was suspended from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) following his arrest last month, arrived at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning for the first stage of the court process.
He arrived separately to his wife, who also faces charges. The pair stood together in the dock during their court appearance.
During the brief court appearance, dressed in a grey suit and green tie, Mr Donaldson spoke only to confirm his name, age, and that he understood the charges before a packed courtroom. A tight security presence was visible when Sir Jeffrey arrived at court shortly after 9:30 am, accompanied by his solicitor John McBurney.
The politician has been charged with one count of rape, one count of gross indecency towards a child, and nine counts of sexual assault during a twenty year period, on dates ranging between 1985 and 2006.
Appearing before district judge Eamonn King, the eight-minute-long court hearing heard that Sir Jeffrey, who was knighted for his services to politics in 2016, was charged with rape on an unknown date between January 1985 and January 1991.
The charge states that the politician “had unlawful sexual intercourse” with the alleged victim who “did not consent to it” or Sir Jeffrey was “being reckless as to whether the said person consented.”
The veteran unionist is also charged with four counts of indecent assault against the same victim, which allegedly took place on dates between January 1985 and December 1991.
The charges also allege that Sir Jeffrey abused a second victim and carried out an act of gross indecency towards a child between January 2005 and December 2006. He is also charged with five counts of indecent assault against the same alleged victim between December 2004 and January 2006.
The politician’s wife, Lady Donaldson, 58, is co-accused in the case, and faces charges of aiding and abetting the rape and one indecent assault allegedly carried out by her husband.
The four charges she faces span nearly ten years, and relate to the same alleged victims.
After the brief court appearance, Mr Donaldson was released on bail, alongside his wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson. Sir Jeffrey’s bail conditions were relaxed to allow him to speak to his wife, and it was agreed during the court hearing that bail conditions stopping contact between the husband and wife could be lifted.
The case will be heard on 22 May, when the defendants are not required to be present.