A 63-year-old former political leader from Northern Ireland took the witness stand Thursday to firmly reject allegations that he sexually assaulted two children over two decades ago.
Jeffrey Donaldson appeared at Newry Crown Court where he entered not guilty pleas two weeks earlier to 18 total charges – including one rape count, four gross indecency counts, and 13 indecent assault counts. The alleged incidents span from 1985 through 2008 and involve two accusers.
Both individuals who brought forward the accusations testified during the proceedings that they experienced abuse during their childhood years. According to their statements to law enforcement, Donaldson inappropriately touched them when they were elementary school-aged children. The older accuser, identified in court documents as Complainant B, also alleged rape occurred.
During his Thursday testimony, Donaldson categorically rejected all allegations against him. Addressing the rape accusation directly, he stated: “It just didn’t happen, I am absolutely crystal clear about that.”
“It is not something I would ever have done, it is just simply not true,” he added.
At the time of his 2024 arrest, Donaldson held the top position in the Democratic Unionist Party, a conservative political organization committed to preserving Northern Ireland’s connection to the United Kingdom.
The defendant showed visible emotion during portions of his court appearance, describing how his mind was “in a spin” following his arrest. His legal troubles prompted him to step down from his party leadership role and abandon his position in the U.K. Parliament.
Eleanor Donaldson, the defendant’s 60-year-old spouse, faces her own legal challenges related to allegations she assisted her husband’s purported criminal conduct. However, she will participate in a fact-finding proceeding rather than a full criminal trial due to mental health considerations.
The defendant rejected any implication that his wife observed abuse taking place but failed to stop it.
“She would have been very angry, she would have intervened immediately,” he testified. “I am absolutely clear, there is no situation where that happened.”
From 2021 through 2023, Donaldson held the most influential position within Northern Ireland’s unionist political movement as head of the DUP.
Court proceedings are anticipated to continue for approximately two more weeks.
