Max Mrowca , 29, appeared in court today

A man drank half a bottle of vodka straight after finishing work before he “got swept up in” disorder in Newtownabbey where he was seen throwing bricks at police, a court heard.

Max Mrowca , 29, from Newtownabbey appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 16, where he faced two charges in connection with disorder at Cloughfern Roundabout on Tuesday, June 9.

The court heard that Mrowca had handed himself into police after an image was released as part of police’s Operation Exposure to identify those involved in last week’s violent disorder.

He had reportedly been seen on CCTV over the course of 50 minutes, dressed in black with a scarf over his face throwing bricks and masonry at police.

Mrowca’s representation said his client was applying for bail as he had recently started a job as a customs compliance specialist at a business in East Belfast and would lose it if remanded in custody.

He also said Mrowca deserved credit for handing himself over to officers, accepting he was in the image and apologising to police.

The court heard that Mrowca had an alcohol problem. On June 9, he drank half a bottle of vodka straight after finishing work and attended the roundabout after seeing social media posts about a gathering. He then got “swept up in” the disorder with the alcohol he had consumed playing a factor in this.

However, his bail was refused as he could pose a risk of harm to the general public and is due to appear in court again on July 9.

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The meeting, organised by the Hope Moor Action Group, will take place at 7pm on Thursday, June 25, in the main hall at Richmond School.

The group says many residents in Richmond and Arkengarthdale have had limited exposure to the consultation process surrounding proposals by renewable energy company Fred. Olsen Renewables.

The plans would see 23 wind turbines, each up to 200 metres high, installed across around 2,700 acres of moorland between Arkengarthdale and Teesdale.

Opponents of the scheme have raised concerns about its visual impact, effects on wildlife habitats and peatland, and the disruption that could be caused during construction.

The meeting will be chaired by North Yorkshire councillor for North Richmondshire, Angus Thompson.

Cllr Thompson said the development would have a significant impact on the landscape and local communities, describing it as “an absolute sacrilege” which could cause damage to wildlife habitats and peat bogs while creating disruption on local roads during construction.

He added: “This is the biggest international infrastructure planning proposal Richmond has ever had to deal with and its full impact will be far-reaching.

“It will just decimate this beautiful area and I think we owe it not just to ourselves but to future generations to fight this all the way, to resist it all the way.

“I’m not anti-wind turbine, and I’m not anti the green agenda but I think there’s a place for them. If you go down to Redcar for example, there’s about 15 of them in the sea and you hardly notice them.”

The public meeting will feature presentations examining the scale of the proposed development, its potential effects on flora and fauna, the loss of peatland, possible flood implications and the challenges of delivering a major infrastructure project in a remote upland area.

Hope Moor Action Group says communities across the area need to work together to ensure their views are represented as the project progresses through the planning process.

The developer has welcomed feedback and encouraged anyone with an interest in the Hope Moor proposals to share their views.

The company has said the site was chosen because of its strong and consistent wind speeds, which could help cut carbon emissions and improve energy security.

The developer has acknowledged concerns about peatland, saying initial surveys suggest much of the site contains relatively shallow peat and organic-rich soils rather than deep peat.

It says further assessments will be carried out to help avoid sensitive areas, minimise environmental impacts and identify opportunities for peatland restoration, and that the long-term carbon savings from the wind farm are expected to outweigh construction emissions.

More information is available at hopemoor.co.uk

Shaftesbury Theatre, the largest independent theatre in the West End, has announced today (June 16) that it is set to become the Judi Dench Theatre from February 2027.

The theatre says the tribute will honour Dame Judi Dench’s exceptional contribution to British theatre and the performing arts, as well as being the first time a West End theatre has been named after an actress.

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Dame Judi Dench said: “The Shaftesbury Theatre has always held a special place in my heart.

“My relationship to the Theatre of Comedy and to the Taffner family goes back many years and to have this beautiful theatre renamed after me is truly overwhelming.

“Live theatre continues to be so important as a way of telling stories and entertaining audiences, something I have aimed to do all my working life.”

Dame Judi’s – who was born in Heworth and had her start as an actress in the York Mystery Plays – was a founding member of the Theatre of Comedy and helped secure the future of the Shaftesbury in the 1980s and early 1990s.

This work also led to a close relationship with the Taffner family, who own the theatre and a production company, and saw her staring in the long-running television series As Time Goes By, which was produced the family.

The Shaftesbury Theatre in Central London (Image: Google Maps)

Donald Taffner Jr, chairman, said: “Dame Judi has been a close friend of the DLT family for so long, particularly from her involvement with As Time Goes By, and we will always treasure the time she made in her busy schedule to make the programme.

“We have such fond memories of Judi at the Shaftesbury from the meetings for the Theatre of Comedy members to when her husband was performing in a number of the Theatre of Comedy productions.

“We are therefore delighted to recognise her extraordinary talent and extensive contribution to many in the renaming of our theatre.”

Eleanor Lang, chief executive, said: “We are so excited to rename the Shaftesbury Theatre in honour of Dame Judi.

“Not only does she play an important role in our history, but she is an iconic figure of the stage and screen landscape.

“We don’t celebrate brilliant women enough in our West End theatre names, so we are delighted that her name will be forever in lights above our doorway.”

Many medicines begin life with one purpose and end up proving useful for a completely different reason.

Few areas show this more clearly than men’s health. Three drugs in particular have become household names not because of their original uses, but because of what researchers later discovered they could do.

Their stories show how scientific serendipity, careful observation and patient experience can reshape modern medicine.

Sildenafil

Sildenafil is perhaps the most famous example of drug repurposing in modern medicine.

In the early 1990s, scientists were testing it as a treatment for angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Sildenafil works by blocking the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), thereby relaxing blood vessels and, in theory, improving circulation.

Although it was largely ineffective for angina, trial volunteers kept reporting a different effect: persistent erections.

Researchers quickly realised that sildenafil improved blood flow not just to the heart, but also to the penis. This helps achieve and maintain an erection when sexually stimulated.

This discovery led to the development of the first oral treatment for erectile dysfunction, launched in 1998 and branded as Viagra. Sildenafil helped reduce the stigma around discussing male sexual health.

Today, sildenafil is also used for pulmonary hypertension, a rare condition involving high blood pressure in the lungs. This second repurposing shows how a single mechanism (widening blood vessels) can have multiple medical benefits.

Side-effects from sildenafil are usually mild and can include headaches, face flushing and nasal congestion. Sildenafil can interact with certain heart medications, such as nitrates, so medical advice is essential before using it.

Finasteride

Finasteride was initially developed in the 1980s to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition where the prostate gland becomes enlarged and causes urinary symptoms.

The drug works by blocking an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase, which converts testosterone into a more potent hormone (dihydrotestosterone) that drives prostate growth. By lowering dihydrotestosterone, the prostate in men with BPH shrinks – thus alleviating symptoms.

But during clinical trials, researchers noticed something unexpected. Men taking finasteride began reporting reduced hair loss. And, in some cases, new hair growth.

Recognising its potential, researchers tested finasteride specifically for androgenetic alopecia(male pattern hair loss). This led to a lower dose version being approved in the late 1990s for the condition, which is linked to the same hormone pathway as BPH. Blocking DHT prevents it from shrinking hair follicles, allowing weakened follicles to recover and grow thicker, longer hair.

Finasteride is now used for hair loss worldwide. Although it’s generally well tolerated, there can be uncommon side-effects, such as reduced libido or erectile difficulties. Some people also report psychiatric side-effects, such as depression and suicidal thoughts.

Finasteride’s journey shows how a drug targeting one hormone-driven condition can unexpectedly help another. It also illustrates how closely connected different aspects of men’s health can be.

Minoxidil

Another drug which has been repurposed for hair loss is minoxidil.

Minoxidil began life in the 1960s as a treatment for severely high blood pressure. It works by relaxing and widening blood vessels, helping blood flow more easily. But researchers soon noticed something unusual: patients taking it often developed increased hair growth, sometimes in unexpected places.

This side-effect sparked interest in whether minoxidil could help with male pattern hair loss. So researchers developed a topical version (a liquid or foam applied directly to the scalp), which was approved in the 1980s.

Minoxidil works in multiple ways. An enzyme in the scalp (sulfotransferase) converts minoxidil into minoxidil sulfate, the active form of the drug. People naturally have different levels of this enzyme, which helps explain why minoxidil works well for some but less effectively for others.

Minoxidil is thought to increase blood flow to hair follicles as well, so they receive more oxygen and nutrients – creating a healthier environment for growth.

Minoxidil also affects the hair cycle. It shortens the telogen (resting) phase in hair follicles, which means these resting follicles move more quickly into growth mode. It also extends the anagen (active growth) phase, so hairs grow for longer and become thicker.

Because telogen is shortened, some people notice increased shedding in the first few weeks. This is temporary and usually means older hairs are making way for new growth. Research suggests minoxidil also supports follicle health in other ways.

It’s now widely used by men of all ages, often as a first-line treatment for thinning hair. Minoxidil is also effective for many women with female pattern hair loss and was licensed in the 1990s.

Side-effects are usually limited to scalp irritation or dryness. Because it works locally, it avoids the whole-body effects associated with finasteride.

Health advances

Repurposing medicines is not just about convenience. It can make treatments faster to develop, cheaper and safer, because the drugs have already been tested in humans. For men’s health, an area where stigma can delay diagnosis and treatment, repurposed drugs have played a particularly important role.

These repurposed drugs’ stories also remind us that medical progress is not always linear. Sometimes breakthroughs come from unexpected places: a trial side-effect, a curious researcher or a patient who notices something new.

The next major advance in health might already be sitting on a pharmacy shelf, waiting for someone to look at it differently.

Tucked into Coquetdale, Harbottle is a tiny stone village with the ruins of a 12th-century castle above it, while nearby Breamish Valley opens out into one of the most beautiful stretches of river and rolling hillside in the Northumberland National Park.

Harbottle is small enough to wander without a plan, then take in the castle ruins and the view up towards the Drake Stone before heading deeper into the countryside.

The setting is quietly dramatic rather than showy, which is exactly why it stands out.

A short drive away, the Breamish Valley gives you the bigger walking payoff.

Breamish Valley (Image: Google Maps)

The area is known for its broad river valley, with routes ranging from easy riverside stretches to hillier trails above Ingram.

A Northumberland National Park description calls Breamish “a breath‑taking setting for family picnics and exhilarating walks.”

It is also a strong pick for dog walkers, though some parts of the valley cross grazing land and areas used by ground-nesting birds, so leads are important in places.

Visitors can park near Ingram and follow one of the lower-level routes through the valley, with time for a paddle or picnic by the river before heading back.

For walkers wanting pub grub at the end, the obvious stop is The Star Inn in Harbottle, right in the village and well placed for both Harbottle itself and the Breamish Valley.

The Star Inn in Harbottle is currently rated 4.8 out of 5 on TripAdvisor.

The pub describes itself as dog-friendly and popular with walkers and cyclists, serving beers, hot drinks and food including wood-fired pizza, pasta, fish and meat dishes.

Also serving as an option for an overnight stay, one reviewer describes it as having “clean accommodation with a little garden area, helpful staff, good quality pub food and great breakfast.”

Authenticity and the performance of ordinariness are increasingly attractive elements of a political candidate’s brand. Social media particularly can be a space to present the “no-filter self” using more casual language, posting images and videos of everyday situations and using emojis or memes – just like the average person would.

In terms of authenticity, at election times, being ordinary, approachable and in touch are seen as potential vote-winning attributes. In Canada’s 2025 election, for example, research has found that these strategies were seen as necessary to stop the candidates coming across as out of touch at a time when politicians might seem to be a breed apart.

This approach has been particularly effective for populist candidates. These political hopefuls often market themselves as anti-elitist outsiders, in keeping with their claim to be the true representatives of the people.

But whether authenticity is a performance or actually the unfiltered self is up for debate. In the Makerfield byelection, the latter appears to be case for Reform UK’s candidate, Robert Kenyon. His appearance on a special edition of the BBC’s Question Time on June 4 might have seemed unpolished, but it perhaps reflected a true performance of self.

Comments under a selection of excerpts of Kenyon on the programme, posted by the Reform UK account to YouTube, were very positive. Viewers described Kenyon as “sincere”, “no fluff, tells it like it is” and praised him as “a northern lad … says it as it is and not afraid to be challenged”.

The comments, although presumably from a supportive audience, suggest viewers felt Kenyon believed in what he said and spoke without a filter or script. Even when challenged on how some policies would be delivered, his response – that it was for the leadership to work out – had a ring of honesty. While Kenyon was challenged over historic tweets of a sexist nature, his choice of defence here was to highlight his ordinariness.

In another interview, Kenyon stated he is not a “career politician”. But he added that if he were Makerfield’s MP “people would feel like they had a voice now, whereas in the last 40 years they’ve not”. Excusing his “crass” social media posts, he argued that he is just “a local lad” and “not a polished professional”.

This framing is indicative of someone who believes sections of the electorate would be sympathetic to his argument – even if they find the content inappropriate.

‘Looked down on and left behind’

Like Hannah Spencer, who won the nearby constituency of Gorton and Denton for the Green party in a byelection in February 2026, Kenyon is a plumber. Spencer spoke about marginalised groups, including the white working class, in her maiden speech in the Commons, offering a sense of authentic representation.

She said: “I do know is what it feels like to be looked down on. To be let down and left behind. To be less worthy because of something about me.” Kenyon seems to be channelling similar notions of standing up for society’s underdogs on the basis that he is one of them, rather than a career politician.

Spencer and Kenyon, and their appeal to voters, partly represents something of a societal shift. The argument is that as more “ordinary” people become prominent – for example, as celebrities and influencers through mainstream and social media – they are viewed as more trustworthy. Elite figures, on the other hand, are seen as more remote.

The populist turn in politics is an equivalent phenomenon. Many people feel democracy is not working for them and that their elected representatives do not share their struggles. Even worse, some believe that those dominating political institutions are self-seeking and remote. Fieldwork, especially in post-industrial working-class areas has uncovered a rejection of mainstream politicians and a desire for so-called common-sense voices.

Demographically, Makerfield is similar (albeit with lower relative deprivation) than many of the red-wall seats where Reform and its antecedent parties have polled well. The area faces challenges due to years of austerity and the cost of living.

Many voters there may well share the notion that most politicians are out of touch. This explains why some perceive Kenyon’s rival Andy Burnham as a strong candidate to hold the seat for Labour, given his local roots and unashamedly working-class persona.

But when true ordinariness is held up as offering a more authentic sense of representation, Kenyon may well be seen as the true voice of the people. After all, Burnham – for all his popularity in Greater Manchester and his working-class background – has been a career politician for 25 years. These days, the voices of ordinary people are heard across social media and can even dominate the news agenda and shape policy. Kenyon – and Reform – will be hoping to ride the demand for authentic representation and cause a major upset on June 18.

The launch comes after new research revealed that almost three-quarters of Britons (73%) believe their best holidays were never planned at all, while nearly half say they would be packed and ready to leave within two days if the right deal landed in their lap.

A growing number of Brits are abandoning carefully planned holidays in favour of spur-of-the-moment getaways – and easyJet has just launched a new feature designed to make that easier than ever.

And it appears many travellers are already embracing the trend.

In a stunt that quickly went viral online, Capital Breakfast presenter Sian Welby shocked listeners when she left her live radio show after spotting a bargain easyJet fare she couldn’t resist.

The broadcaster continued presenting from the back of a taxi as she headed for the airport, with clips from the moment racking up thousands of views across social media.

Flights are available here.

The nation’s most common holiday killer is the group chat

Around a third of people said they had missed out on a trip entirely because friends could not agree on plans quickly enough.

To help travellers act fast, easyJet’s new tool adds a “Within 48 Hours” filter to its Inspire Me platform, allowing customers to search destinations by budget, travel dates and trip type.

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The airline says the feature is designed to help holidaymakers discover destinations they may not have previously considered while taking advantage of ultra-last-minute deals.

For travellers needing inspiration, easyJet highlights Barcelona, Amsterdam, Nice, Lisbon and Milan among its top spontaneous city-break destinations this summer.

With flights available from less than £50, the biggest question may no longer be where to go – but whether you’re ready to drop everything and leave.

Would you go on a last-minute holiday? Tell us in the comments below.

The rollout will begin at four locations to start —one Express store and three larger supermarkets—before expanding to around 3,000 UK locations over the next two years.

Supplied by Chinese technology firm Hanshow, the digital labels will allow Tesco to update prices and product details instantly from its central office.

Kevin Tindall, managing director of UK operations at Tesco, said: “Moving to a digital system will not only support our sustainability ambitions by significantly reducing paper use across the Tesco estate, but it will also mean that our colleagues can focus on what matters most – serving our customers.”

The technology aims to improve pricing accuracy for customers and reduce manual tasks for staff.

The decision follows a successful pilot at Tesco’s Royston and St Neots stores last year.

Electronic shelf labels are already in use among several UK supermarkets, including Asda, Lidl, Co-op, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.

Morrisons began its trial of the technology in October last year, and Sainsbury’s started rolling out the labels after its own pilot last summer.

Tesco plans to introduce the labels gradually, updating stores as it refreshes its pricing systems.

Liangyan Li, senior vice president and head of global sales at Hanshow, said the partnership shows a shared commitment to improving store efficiency.

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How to get Tesco freebies

Anyone wanting a chance to receive the offers needs to have a Tesco Clubcard and use the Tesco app.

More than 24 million UK households already have a Clubcard, giving them access to personalised discounts, reward partners and exclusive promotions.

With free products set to drop every Thursday, shoppers may want to keep a close eye on their app over the next few weeks.

What’s your favourite supermarket? Let us know in the comments

The budget supermarket is launching a limited-edition book, The Very Late Caterpillar, to celebrate the belated launch of its Cooper the Caterpillar Cake. 

Rival supermarkets have their own versions of the iconic caterpillar celebration cake, including M&S and its Colin the Caterpillar Cake and Aldi and its Cuthbert the Caterpillar Cake.

Until now, Lidl has been the odd one out, but not for much longer.

Lidl is joining several of its rival supermarkets in launching its own version of a caterpillar cake (Image: Lidl)

Lidl launches Cooper the Caterpillar Cake and it’s free for some customers

Revealing why Lidl’s caterpillar cake has taken so long to arrive, the book will be available for free via the website from 10am on Friday, June 19. 

Lidl said the book reveals Cooper’s whereabouts of late, from strutting the London Fashion Week cat(erpillar) walk to revelling in gnat summer – with a spot of Midgerton binge watching in-between.

Customers with a book will receive a Lidl Plus voucher code to claim a free caterpillar cake from stores nationwide.

Caterpillar cakes have been popular and caused a stir for years, and now Lidl’s, which consists of a sponge roll filled with chocolate buttercream and covered in milk chocolate, will be available to buy from this week.

From Friday, Lidl’s Cooper the Caterpillar Cake will be available to buy in stores nationwide for £6.99.

The history of Lidl

Cooper the Caterpillar said: “Time…flies… when you’re having fun.

“I know I’m a little late to the party but I can’t say I’ve met another grub that’s walked London Fashion Week or became the unlikely face of Gnat Summer.

“To make up for keeping everyone waiting, I wanted to share my debut novel of how I wriggled my way to Lidl.

“You know what they say, it’s about the journey not the destination… and I’ve certainly taken the scenic route.”

What caterpillar cakes are available to buy?

Several UK supermarkets have their own version of the caterpillar cake:

• M&S – Colin the Caterpillar
• Aldi – Cuthbert the Caterpillar
• Co-op – Charlie the Caterpillar
• Morrisons – Morris the Caterpillar
• Sainsbury’s – Wiggles the Caterpillar
• Waitrose – Cecil the Caterpillar
• Tesco – Slinky the Caterpillar
• Asda – Letty the Caterpillar

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What happened in M&S and Aldi’s caterpillar cake row?

M&S took Aldi to court for what became a long-running legal dispute in which the former accused the discounter of copying Colin with its “Cuthbert” product.

An undisclosed settlement eventually reached by the two grocers did not deter Aldi from going on to release an ad in which it announced it was “like M&S, only cheaper” and showed rival caterpillar cakes Cuthbert and Colin breaking into a scuffle at a party.

Will you be trying the new Cooper the Caterpillar Cake from Lidl? Tell us in the comments below.

The jury of seven men and five women heard fifteen days of evidence in the case

Closing submissions have begun in the trial of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and the trial of the facts of his wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson.

Sir Jeffrey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences. Lady Eleanor, 60, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending.

She is facing a trial of the facts on mental health grounds. The trial of the facts will test the evidence in the case, but cannot result in a criminal conviction.

The jury of seven men and five women heard fifteen days of evidence in the case, including evidence from Complainant A and B, Complainant A’s husband, David and Linda Hoy from the Armoy Family Centre and their daughter, Laura Claire Selfridge, alongside evidence from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, himself.

Day 1 – Tuesday 26th May

Donaldson arrived at Newry Crown Court for day one of his trial. He entered the courthouse, where jury selection got underway.

He was met by his solicitor, John McBurney, who accompanied him into the court building. Police had erected metal barriers at the court entrance prior to his arrival to cordon off the waiting media.

At the start of proceedings, Donaldson replied “yes” when asked by trial judge Paul Ramsey if he was ready for his trial. He then sat in the dock with his arms crossed, flanked by two court staff, while the process of jury selection began.

READ MORE HERE: Jury in Jeffrey Donaldson sexual offences trial sworn in

Day 2 – Wednesday 27th May

Wednesday’s hearing was delayed until after lunch amid legal discussions. The court heard that two complainants had come forward to police more than two years ago and reported “difficult and traumatic incidents they say happened when they were children”.

Complainant B told police that she had been sexually abused when she was a child and that she remembered two incidents “vividly”.

In the first alleged incident, she told the police that Jeffrey Donaldson had put his hands down her underwear, pulled her legs apart and then sexually assaulted her.

In the second incident, she told police that Donaldson had lifted her top and started to touch her breasts.

Complainant A also made a statement to the police in March 2024. She alleged that Donaldson touched her on a number of occasions under her top when she was a child.

She told police that touching her had become something he had “done quite often”.

She told police that Donaldson would make comments about her appearance, including the size of her breasts. She recalled one incident where she claimed that Donaldson had been “looking at her private parts”.

Donaldson said it was “unbelievable” that he would have touched Complainant B in a sexual way. He denied that he ever rubbed Complainant A’s breast.

READ MORE HERE: Women claim Jeffrey Donaldson subjected them to ‘difficult and traumatic incidents’ when children

Day 3 – Thursday 28th May

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The video of a police interview with Complainant A from March 2024, weeks before the Donaldsons were arrested, was played to the jury of seven men and five women. In the interview, the complainant said she had been of primary school age when Donaldson began to be “physical” with her.

She said from primary school age, Donaldson had put his hand up her top – and this “happened for quite a while”. She said she remembered a “significant event” when she was a young teenager, when Donaldson “perched” over the top of her and had looked at her “private parts”. She said on another occasion, Donaldson kissed her and put his tongue in her mouth.

The court was told that Donaldson wrote a letter to one of the alleged victims expressing “regret” for “all the hurt, pain and distress I have caused.” Prosecuting barrister Rosemary Walsh KC read out a letter which Complainant A said had been written to her by Jeffrey Donaldson in June 2020.

Under cross-examination by Donaldson’s barrister, complainant A told the trial that she had been sexually abused by another man when she was a child.

The barrister suggested that she may either have “fabricated” the abuse or else “dreamt it and over the years come to believe it is true”.

She said: “To imply someone would dream things without a reason is ridiculous; it is insulting.”

READ MORE HERE: “I felt very dirty for a long time”- Jeffrey Donaldson sexual offences trial played alleged victim’s police interview

READ MORE HERE: ‘I will regret this to my dying day’- Jeffrey Donaldson wrote letter to alleged victim expressing regret, trial hears

READ MORE HERE: Jeffrey Donaldson barrister suggests alleged victim may have “dreamt” abuse

Day 4 – Friday 29th May

Kieran Vaughan KC, barrister for Jeffrey Donaldson, continued his cross-examination of Complainant A.

Complainant A told the trial that the former DUP leader touched her breasts “skin on skin” while she was a child. Challenged by a barrister over “inconsistencies” between her evidence in court and what she had told a police officer, Complainant A insisted “the facts are the facts”.

Mr Vaughan referred to an allegation made by the woman that Donaldson had touched her breasts on a number of occasions when she was of primary school age.

He asked about her claim that she had been touched “skin on skin”. She said: “Mostly, one or two occasions when it was over the top of a bra, but mostly skin on skin.”

The barrister drew attention to a meeting Complainant A had had with a police officer where she mentioned “touching over clothing”. She said: “If that is what she has written, that is what was said.”

The barrister then referred to an incident where the woman had claimed Donaldson had “perched” over the top of her, using a light to look at her “private parts”. When challenged about her account, complainant A said: “The light was focused on my genital area.”

Mr Vaughan said: “I suggest that is not true.” The barrister added: “You were confused and you were not sure of what you had seen.” She said: “To this day I am still confused… I am honest about that.”

The barrister also asked the woman why she had not handed the letter to the police when she had first been interviewed. She told the court that she “wasn’t sure it was relevant at the time”.

The barrister said the letter had “nothing to do with you and sexual assault” but instead related to other behaviour by Donaldson.

The woman said that while the letter did not mention sexual abuse, it had “heavy connotations of guilt and shame and asking for forgiveness”.

READ MORE HERE: ‘The facts are the facts’ – Woman tells trial Jeffrey Donaldson touched her breasts ‘skin on skin’ as a child

READ MORE HERE: Jeffrey Donaldson ‘regret’ letter ‘nothing to do’ with sex allegations, trial hears

Day 5 – Monday 1st June

A woman who says she was sexually abused as a child by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, known as Complainant A, took to the witness stand for a third day as she was cross-examined by Ian Turkington KC, barrister for Eleanor Donaldson.

He questioned her about why she did not mention all of the counselling sessions she had received following the alleged abuse in police interviews in 2024. The witness said she had “nothing to hide” and had forgotten to mention some of the counselling.

The witness was also questioned about her memory following the alleged abuse, with her responding, “Many people know that with childhood abuse, there is an issue with memory.”

“I have tried to remember these events and convey them to the best of my ability.”

Complainant A was also asked about how she had told Eleanor Donaldson about an alleged incident of abuse, and that this was “laughed off”.

She was accused by the barrister of “making this up as you go along,” which she refuted.

He said, “You are making this up as you go along.”

She said: “That is your assumption… I am here to tell the truth.”

Complainant A concluded giving her evidence to the trial on Monday afternoon.

READ MORE HERE: Woman who alleges Jeffrey Donaldson abused her denies she is ‘making up’ claims

Day 6 – Tuesday 2nd June

The second alleged victim, Complainant B, was not in the courtroom on Tuesday but appeared via a video link. Her ABE (achieving best evidence) interview with the police was played to the jury of seven men and five women.

Jeffrey Donaldson sat in the dock at the rear of the courtroom while the interview, which was recorded in March 2024, was played. In the interview, Complainant B said that growing up, she was “sexually abused by an adult”, and she particularly remembered two incidents. The woman frequently became emotional during the interview.

In the first, she claimed, Donaldson had put his hands down her underwear, pulled her legs apart and then sexually assaulted her. She said the second incident occurred when she was slightly older, when she said Donaldson “lifted up my top” and touched her breasts.

When asked by a police officer if there were other incidents, she said she remembered “his hands down my pants a lot”.

When she was asked about the first incident, she said it occurred when she was of primary school age, saying: “I remember being really still and all I could hear was his breath.”

Complainant B said the second incident occurred when she was in secondary school. She said: “He lifted up my top and started playing with my breasts.”

The complainant said that Eleanor Donaldson had witnessed part of the alleged incident and “walked away”.

Complainant B later said Donaldson had apologised to her at a meeting arranged at a Christian centre years later.

The witness was then cross-examined by Kieran Vaughan KC, barrister for Jeffrey Donaldson. He accused her of making up allegations, pointing to an inconsistency in the age she told a counsellor the abuse had happened and what she later told police, claiming “none of it happened”.

Complainant B responded to this, saying, “It is quite naive for you to say that. Everything I am saying is the truth … no matter how many questions people ask me, it will never change that.”

The barrister pointed out that she could not remember what age she was at the time of the alleged rape incident.

She said: “The actions that night I will never forget, what happened that night will live with me forever.”

Mr Vaughan suggested the incident “did not happen” and asked her why she did not tell anyone about it at the time.

She said: “It was my biggest mistake not telling anybody back then … I regret that every day.

READ MORE HERE: Woman tells Donaldson trial details of alleged rape will stay with her ‘forever’

Day 7 – Wednesday 3rd June

Complainant B continued to give evidence in Newry Crown Court, where she said she should have brought the alleged abuse to the police years earlier, but had “tried not to be a victim”.

Barrister for Jeffrey Donaldson, Kieran Vaughan KC, resumed his cross-examination of the alleged victim in the morning and said she had been sent to the Christian Family Centre in Armoy after she had started to take drugs in her teenage years.

She told the court that she had taken ecstasy and marijuana, but denied that she was addicted to the substances. Complainant B added that she originally thought her issues could have been “dealt with at home”, but said going there “turned out probably one of the best things that ever happened to me”.

The barrister said that while at the centre, complainant B had spoken to a woman at the facility. The witness confirmed she had told her about alleged abuse by Donaldson, but did not go into details.

The barrister said she told the woman this in an effort to leave Armoy.

The barrister said she had then spoken to a pastor at the centre about the allegations and asked why the conversation with the pastor was not in her statement to police.

The barrister asked her if she had told the pastor not to go to the police, and that if he did, she would say it was “all a lie”.

She said: “I don’t remember that … if I did it would have been the stupidest thing I ever said.”

In the afternoon, Complainant B was cross-examined by Ian Turkington KC, who represents Eleanor Donaldson in the proceedings.

He referred to two alleged incidents of abuse, the first where Complainant B said she was raped by Jeffrey Donaldson and the second where she claimed that he had touched her breasts. She alleges that Eleanor Donaldson witnessed part of the second incident.

Concerning the first incident, Mr Turkington suggested it was a “figment of your imagination”. She responded: “You are suggesting that, but that is not true. My account is the truth.”

Turning to the second incident, the barrister suggested “at no stage” did Eleanor Donaldson “ever see anybody touching your breasts”.

The woman said: “She looked directly at me.”

Complainant B said Eleanor Donaldson should have “stood up and defended me”.

The barrister then questioned her about how her memory of the alleged incidents had “evolved” since counselling sessions in 2008. She said: “I locked them [memories] away, there is a reason why I did drugs and all those stupid things when I was a teenager.”

The court had previously been told that Complainant B had received a text message from a third party in 2023 suggesting Eleanor Donaldson wanted to apologise.

Mr Turkington suggested it was only when the witness received the message that she believed Eleanor Donaldson had seen the incident where Jeffrey Donaldson is alleged to have touched her breasts.

READ MORE HERE: Eleanor Donaldson should have ‘stood up and defended me’ says alleged victim

Day 8, Thursday 4th June

The husband of Complainant A took the witness stand and gave evidence and became emotional when he described the moment that his wife told him about the alleged abuse.

He told the court: “She said that when she was younger, Jeffrey had abused her on a number of occasions.”

The witness said his partner had “gone into detail”, stating that Donaldson had inappropriately touched her “on a number of occasions” and that he kissed her and “put his tongue down her mouth”.

He said she also told him about an alleged incident where she was “woken by a light” and Donaldson was looking at her “private parts”.

The witness was cross-examined by Jeffrey Donaldson’s barrister, Kieran Vaughan, and Eleanor Donaldson’s barrister, Ian Turkington KC.

Later, the court heard evidence from a Presbyterian minister and his wife, who had provided “pastoral support” to Complainant A and her husband after they had disclosed an allegation of abuse.

He said he had contacted the church’s head of safeguarding as he “wanted to know what the boundaries were regarding our responsibilities”.

He said the first meeting took place in 2022.

The witness said that when he was on holiday in the summer of 2023, he received a message from Jeffrey Donaldson.

The court heard that Donaldson asked for the message to be kept “in confidence” and said he did not know “where else to turn and would truly appreciate the opportunity for a private conversation”.

The minister said he responded the following day that it would be “inappropriate” to have the meeting.

The court heard that Donaldson then sent a reply which said: “I do understand entirely. I don’t want to cause them further upset.

“I just want to find a way to say how sorry I am and repent before them as I have before the Lord.”

READ MORE HERE: Man recalls moment his wife revealed alleged sexual abuse by Jeffrey Donaldson

Day 9, Friday 5th June

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On Friday, the trial heard evidence from Laura Claire Selfridge, who is the daughter of David and Linda Hoy, who founded the Christian Family Centre in Armoy, Co Antrim.

Ms Selfridge told the court she had a conversation with Complainant B in her bedroom in Armoy. She told the court: “She literally just said she had been abused.”

Asked about the atmosphere, Ms Selfridge said: “Very shocking, almost like a bomb went off, that is what it felt like for me.”

The witness said they had never spoken again about the alleged abuse.

Asked if she had spoken to anyone else about the alleged abuse, she said: “Never, not to this day.”

Jeffrey Donaldson’s barrister, Kieran Vaughan KC, asked the witness if Complainant B had used the word “sexual” in relation to the alleged abuse. She replied “No”.

The court was then played a police video interview from Pastor Stephen Matthews, who had met Complainant B at the Christian Family Centre in Co Antrim. He is not well enough to give evidence at the trial.

He said: “I listened to her and she made very, very serious allegations.”

The pastor said she told him she had been abused when “very young”. He said he had asked her why she did not “come out with this and get help”. He added, “She said she can’t because it would destroy their political reputation. I don’t want that.”

Mr Matthews said he could not remember if B had named her alleged abuser, but said it “became obvious” who it was.

Mr Hoy gave evidence at the trial and spoke of meetings between himself, his wife, complainant B and Jeffrey Donaldson.

Mr Hoy said Complainant B was looking to meet Donaldson and “wanted a safe place to do that”.

The court was then told about a meeting between Donaldson, Complainant B and the Hoys in their home in Armoy the following day.

Mr Hoy said: “Mr Donaldson spoke first, he said I know what this is about, he said I am sorry and can you please forgive me.”

The witness said that Complainant B was upset but she “did say she forgave him”.

Mr Hoy said he asked B if she wanted to “take this any further and she said no”.

READ MORE HERE: Abuse claim not reported as it would ‘destroy reputation’, Donaldson trial told

Day 10, Monday 8th June

On day 10 of the trial, the jury heard that Donaldson had been interviewed by police for four and a half hours following his arrest in the early hours of March 28 2024.

Three hours of the interviews will be played to the jury.

Donaldson, wearing a blue suit, sat in the dock at the back of the court while the audio of the first interview was played.

The interview at Antrim PSNI station began with the former DUP leader confirming his name and date of birth.

Asked at the beginning if he wanted to say anything in relation to the alleged offences, he replied “No.”

The court has previously heard about an allegation that Donaldson had “perched” over the top of Complainant A when she was a child, using a light to look at her “private parts”.

In his police interview, Donaldson raised the incident, telling detectives he believed he had “startled” the girl.

He said: “It obviously frightened her. She thought that I was shining a light at her.”

“You know, I didn’t have a light. You know, I wasn’t doing anything untoward.”

He added: “She clearly still has a concern about that.”

When it was put to him that the alleged victim had said he was a heavy breather, Donaldson said: “Why would I be a heavy breather? I’ve never had asthma.”

When the rape allegation was put to him, he responded: “That did not happen. The answer to that is absolutely no.”

He added: “I’m sorry but I can’t get my head around this notion.

“This is not anything that is something that has ever happened, would not happen. That is not a situation that we would have thought in any way was appropriate.”

He said “at no stage” had Complainant A ever claimed “I touched her or did anything inappropriate on that occasion”.

In the interview, Donaldson said there had been “good times and difficult times” in his marriage to Eleanor Donaldson.

He said his work as a politician had “put a strain on our marriage”.

Donaldson said: “The role I hold is all-consuming, it takes up a lot of time.”

Turning to another alleged incident where Complainant B alleges Donaldson played with her breasts when she was of secondary school age, he again denied the actions.

He said: “There was nothing of an inappropriate nature in terms of breasts exposed or anything like that.”

The police interview then turned to a meeting between Complainant B, Jeffrey Donaldson and David and Linda Hoy, the founders of the Christian Family Centre in Armoy in the 1990s.

The court previously heard B had stayed at the centre as a teenager after developing a problem with drugs. Donaldson said he had been contacted by Mr Hoy about things B was “uncomfortable with”.

He said: “I was happy to have a chat.”

He said: “At no stage did anybody allege any of the kind of incidents you have mentioned.”

He said following the meeting, himself and B “both embraced and that was the end of it”.

Donaldson responded: “All of the issues you’ve put to me this afternoon were not mentioned to me.”

Asked if the conversation with B had involved an apology, Donaldson said: “I’m sure it did…if our relationship was not good, then I was sorry that was the case.”

Donaldson also denied putting his hand up Complainant A’s top and putting his tongue in her mouth and moving it around.

READ MORE HERE: Jeffrey Donaldson told police he wasn’t doing ‘anything untoward’

READ MORE HERE: Donaldson told police he ‘can’t get head round’ allegations of sexual abuse

Day 11, Tuesday 9th June

On Day 11 of the trial, the jury was played recordings of Eleanor Donaldson’s police interview.

In her first interview with police, Eleanor Donaldson was asked if she was guilty of the offences for which she had been arrested. She replied no.

She then told police about an incident where she had gone to find her husband and he was in a room with Complainant B, who was a teenager at the time.

The court has previously heard B allege that the former MP had lifted her top and touched her breasts.

Eleanor Donaldson said: “I just sort of remember just looking at him and saying what are you doing.”

She said when she asked her husband about it, he said it “was nothing” and that he was “just talking”.

She added: “In the years that came after that I never had any cause for concern ever, I never felt that apart from thinking that that was strange and what was that about and I asked Jeffrey about it and he just dismissed it.

“I never had any other feeling that anything was wrong.”

She said: “I asked Jeffrey many times but he had never given me a reason for why he was there or what he was doing.

“I asked him many times and it never came to anything and he never gave me any answers.”

When asked by the detective, if she had a “clear view” of what had happened, she said: “I could just see that there were both standing there, but that was it.”

The detective asked her if she believed “something more” had been going on.

She said: “Yes, because I was uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable.”

She added: “Every time I did ask I was met with a blank wall, it was not coming out.

“I just lived to the best of my ability and then other times it would start eating at me again because I just wanted to get to the bottom of it and even though all those years had passed still to the back of my mind because that’s the type of person I am.”

The detective asked if she had ever witnessed any inappropriate behaviour between her husband and Complainant B.

She said: “No, absolutely nothing.”

Referring to a meeting between her husband and Complainant B at the Armoy Family Centre, Eleanor Donaldson said: “I didn’t know this at the time and I didn’t know it until many years had passed and in the course of conversation with him again, he said… the questions that you’re asking me, that has been dealt with.”

She said her husband told her he had “asked for forgiveness”, it was granted and “that was sorted”.

She said: “But I never knew what that was because he wouldn’t talk to me about it.”

Asked about the circumstances of an alleged incident where Complainant B claims she was raped by Jeffrey Donaldson, Eleanor Donaldson said: “I would say that didn’t happen. Absolutely not, oh my goodness.”

She told police she was “devastated” hearing about the allegation.

She added: “That’s totally outside my knowledge of what I would expect from him.”

Eleanor Donaldson also told police she had no awareness of allegations made by Complainant A that she was sexually abused when she was a child.

She said: “I’ve never been party or seen anything like that.”

Asked if she was aware of occasions where her husband had allegedly put his tongue in A’s mouth, she said: “Ugh, no.”

Asked about the allegations made by both complainants, Eleanor Donaldson said: “This is a massive, massive shock.”

READ MORE HERE: Eleanor Donaldson hit ‘blank wall’ asking husband about alleged victim

Day 12, Wednesday 10th June

Legal arguments were heard in the absence of the jury.

Day 13, Thursday 11th June

Defence barrister Kieran Vaughan KC called Jeffrey Donaldson as a witness in the trial shortly after 10.30am on day 13.

Mr Vaughan asked him if he accepted any of the allegations made by Complainant B, the older of the two alleged victims.

Donaldson said: “No.”

The barrister asked the same question about allegations made by Complainant A, and Donaldson again said “no”.

The court has previously heard evidence about a letter Donaldson wrote to Complainant A in June 2020, where he had told of his “regret” over the “hurt, pain and distress I have caused”.

The defence has previously told the court the letter does not relate to any alleged abuse, but is about another matter.

Donaldson read extracts of the letter to the court.

Mr Vaughan asked him if the letter referred to incidents of abuse.

Donaldson said “Absolutely not.”

He added: “This is not the reason why this letter was written.”

The barrister turned to the allegations made by Complainant B, who claims she was raped by Donaldson.

Donaldson told the court: “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.”

Mr Vaughan turned to another incident where it is alleged Donaldson had lifted the girl’s top and touched her breasts.

Donaldson said he did remember an occasion being alone with the girl, but said they had just been talking.

He said he got up and left when he heard his wife, Eleanor, call his name.

Mr Vaughan asked if there had been any inappropriate behaviour.

He said: “Absolutely none whatsoever

“There was nothing I would have done that could be misconstrued.”

He said the idea was “just unbelievable”.

Donaldson also rejected any suggestion that his wife had witnessed the abuse but did not intervene.

He said: “She would have been very angry, she would have intervened immediately.”

He added: “I am absolutely clear, there is no situation where that happened.

“I would not have been doing that.

“It is just unbelievable.”

Asked about other allegations of inappropriately touching the same alleged victim, he said: “Absolutely not.”

The court has previously heard that Donaldson had met with Complainant B in the 1990s after she attended the Christian Family Centre in Armoy.

Donaldson said at the meeting he had said he was sorry if Complainant B had felt “uncomfortable”.

Mr Vaughan asked if any allegation of sexual abuse was put to him at the meeting.

He said: “No, not ever, those allegations had never been put to me.”

He was asked if he had been apologising for abuse.

Donaldson said: “No, because there had been no abuse and that was not the nature of the meeting.”

The barrister then turned to allegations made by Complainant A.

Asked if he had ever kissed her on the mouth as a child, Donaldson said: “Why would I kiss a child using my tongue?

“That is just ridiculous, that just did not ever happen.”

Donaldson also told the trial that his work as an MP had been “all-encompassing” and his wife had been “devastated” when he had an affair in 2008.

He said he confessed the affair to Eleanor Donaldson and had “regretted it”.

He said there was another occasion during the Covid-19 pandemic when a bugging device had been placed in his car after his wife had discovered he was exchanging “flirtatious” texts with a woman.

A prosecution barrister has put it to former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson that he treated a woman who claims he raped her as a child “like an object”.

Prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh KC asked Donaldson if the two complainants in the trial were lying.

He said: “I’ve told the truth and I believe what has been said is untrue.”

When asked if this meant he believed both were lying, he agreed.

Ms Walsh then asked him at “what point” he had started abusing Complainant B.

The former MP replied: “I didn’t.”

The barrister said the alleged victim had claimed it started when she was aged between seven and eight, and suggested this was an “easy time” to start abuse.

Donaldson said: “I don’t agree at all with what you are saying.

“That wasn’t happening. I am saying that didn’t happen, very clearly saying it.”

She asked him if the abuse had begun “quite discreetly”.

Donaldson said: “Again I say to you, this did not happen.”

Ms Walsh suggested the alleged victim “didn’t know” at first the abuse was sexual, due to her young age.

He said: “This did not happen.”

Ms Walsh asked him at what point Eleanor Donaldson had “become aware” he was abusing the girl.

He said: “Given that I was not abusing, that was not an issue. Eleanor wouldn’t have known because there was nothing to know.”

When Ms Walsh questioned him about the alleged rape of Complainant B, Donaldson said: “I am absolutely crystal clear it didn’t happen.”

Donaldson pointed out that the prosecution had given a “time range of three or four years” for the alleged rape.

Ms Walsh said: “You could tell us when it was it happened.”

Donaldson said: “I don’t know when it was because it did not happen.”

Ms Walsh suggested Donaldson knew by the time of the alleged rape that Complainant B would not tell anyone because he had “already been abusing her”.

He said: “Absolutely not.”

He added: “There is absolutely no way Eleanor would have agreed, been party to, consented, to anything of that kind of nature.

“That just did not happen, it simply did not happen.”

The barrister asked him why the alleged victim had “told all these serious lies”.

He said: “I wish I knew the answer to that question.”

The barrister turned to an incident where Donaldson has been accused of lifting Complainant B’s top and touching her breasts when she was of secondary school age.

The court has previously heard a claim from Complainant B that Eleanor Donaldson had walked in during the alleged encounter, but left without doing anything.

Donaldson said: “Nothing inappropriate ever happened.”

Ms Walsh suggested he had seen “an opportunity like opportunities you have taken before”.

He said: “I am afraid I simply cannot accept that.”

The barrister suggested Donaldson had abused her “because you could”.

He said: “No, no… nothing untoward happened.”

Regarding the allegation that Eleanor Donaldson had walked in and out again, he said: “No, no.”

She said: “Once Eleanor Donaldson left that room, you carried on because you knew that you could.”

He said: “No, absolutely not.”

Mr Donaldson was asked why, if he was telling the truth, he thought Complainant B had made up the allegations about him.

He said that perhaps she was angry because his career as a politician was on the “up and up”, while she was dealing with drug problems at a Christian centre in Armoy.

Ms Walsh said Complainant B had claimed Donaldson had treated her “like an object”.

She added: “Is that what she was to you?”

He said: “Absolutely not.”

She said: “You did just treat her like an object.”

He responded: “No, I did not.”

READ MORE HERE: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson tells jury he is ‘crystal clear’ rape allegation is false

READ MORE HERE: ” My head was in a spin”- Jeffrey Donaldson tells court about moment he and his wife were arrested at 6am

READ MORE HERE: Jeffrey Donaldson denies claim he treated alleged rape victim ‘like an object’

Day 14, Friday 12th June

On day 14, Donaldson that a letter he wrote to his alleged victim did not refer to allegations of sexual abuse but instead he was apologising for other behaviour.

Prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh KC cross-examined the ex-Lagan Valley MP at his historical sexual offences trial at Newry Crown Court.

In the afternoon session Ms Walsh turned to a letter Donaldson wrote to Complainant A in June 2020 in which he expressed “regret” for the “hurt, pain and distress” he had caused.

Donaldson has said the letter did not refer to allegations of sexual abuse but instead he was apologising for other behaviour.

Ms Walsh referred to the phrase “lift a sinner out of the deep pit of sin” within the letter.

She asked: “Are you a deceitful person Mr Donaldson.”

He said: “Not by nature.”

He added: “At its heart Christianity starts from the starting point we are all sinful in nature.

“That is what I was referring to.”

She said: “But we are not all in a deep pit of sin.”

He said: “I am simply explaining to you the basis on which I wrote these words.”

She read another part of the letter which stated: “I know how deep the wounds are caused by my sinful and selfish actions.”

She suggested part of the letter is “about sexually abusing a child”.

He said: “That is not the case.”

Ms Walsh said: “That is what the deep wounds are.”

He said: “That is not the case.”

Donaldson added: “I was not writing to seek forgiveness for sexual abuse.”

READ MORE HERE: Donaldson trial told letter of ‘regret’ not referring to sex abuse claims

READ MORE HERE: Jeffrey Donaldson denies he attended meeting to nip claims ‘in the bud’, court hears

Day 15, Monday 15th June

On day 15, Donaldson’s barrister Kieran Vaughan KC told the jury of seven men and five women that he was “now in a position to close my case”.

Barrister for Eleanor Donaldson, Ian Turkington KC, said: “She is incapable of giving evidence so we don’t intend to call any further evidence.”

READ MORE HERE: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson sex offences trial sees defence close case

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