Everything you need to know ahead of Jeffrey Donaldson trial

Need to know

The trial is due to begin on Tuesday

Everything you need to know

• The legal proceedings for former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, will take place at the same time. Both cases are scheduled to officially begin on Tuesday, 26th May, at Newry Crown Court.
• Judge Paul Ramsey determined that holding the trials simultaneously serves the interests of justice by remaining fair to all parties. He emphasised that this joint format will allow the sensitive and complex case to move forward as quickly as possible.
• Last week, Lady Eleanor Donaldson was declared medically unfit to stand a standard criminal trial. Instead, she will undergo a “trial of the facts,” which is a specific legal mechanism that tests the evidence against her but cannot result in a criminal conviction.
• Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 historical sexual offences, including one count of rape, alongside allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. These charges involve two alleged victims and span a 23-year period between 1985 and 2008.
• Lady Eleanor Donaldson faces charges of aiding and abetting, which she has formally denied. The legal proceedings against her have already been delayed twice before due to her health issues.
• The prosecution aims to begin jury selection on Tuesday. Full trial proceedings and the presentation of evidence are expected to commence the following day.
• Sir Jeffrey Donaldson resigned from his position and was suspended from the DUP immediately following his arrest in March 2024. This political fallout occurred just weeks after he had successfully led his party back into the Stormont Executive.

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