Lady Donaldson Ignored Warnings Regarding Sir Jeffrey Abuse Claims, Court Told

A woman accusing Sir Jeffrey Donaldson of childhood sexual abuse has testified that the former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader’s wife was informed of an alleged incident but failed to take any action. This assertion was made by Complainant A, one of two women bringing accusations against Sir Jeffrey, during her cross-examination by Ian Turkington KC, counsel for Lady Eleanor Donaldson.

Sir Jeffrey denies 18 charges of sexual abuse, which include a single count of rape. Lady Donaldson, who is standing trial of the facts due to being deemed unfit for a standard criminal trial on mental health grounds, denies five charges of aiding and abetting. Consequently, she is not participating in the proceedings.

During the trial at Newry Crown Court, jurors heard Complainant A’s account that she informed Lady Donaldson about an alleged encounter with Sir Jeffrey, describing him as behaving oddly and staring at her. While Lady Donaldson’s legal team argued that she had confronted her husband regarding the matter, Complainant A maintained that she had directly notified the former first lady.

"I knew by the look on her face she knew I was telling the truth," Complainant A stated. "Why would I make something like that up? I had no motive. Once she identified I was telling the truth, she did nothing about it."

The alleged incident reportedly involved Sir Jeffrey shining a bright light, possibly a torch, on Complainant A’s private parts. Additionally, the complainant told the court that she had reported a separate allegation to Lady Donaldson, in which she claimed Sir Jeffrey kissed her. According to Complainant A, Sir Jeffrey “put his tongue in my mouth” and “moved his tongue around my mouth.” She asserted that both defendants dismissed the accusation as “just a joke.”

“I can guarantee you I was not laughing at all,” the complainant emphasized.

Mr. Turkington also questioned Complainant A regarding omissions in her police statements, specifically concerning the counselling she received following the alleged abuse. She explained that she had simply forgotten to mention some sessions but insisted she had nothing to conceal. The lawyer then referenced notes from a counsellor, which described the complainant’s memory as “really poor, very bad.” Complainant A challenged this characterization, stating, “I think it is unfair to say really bad… his notes are his interpretation.”

Furthermore, Mr. Turkington pointed out that Complainant A had described her memories of the dates of the alleged abuse as “really foggy” during police interviews. She defended her transparency, noting, “Many people know with abuse there is an issue with memory. I have been very transparent. I have tried to remember these events and convey them to the best of my ability.” She concluded her testimony by reiterating, “I'm here to tell the truth and I am telling the truth.”

Sir Jeffrey is accused of acts of gross indecency and indecent assault against Complainant A while she was a child, between 1999 and 2008. The other charges, which date back to 1985 and include rape, involve a second accuser, Complainant B, also at the time of her childhood.

Complainant A concluded her evidence on Monday afternoon. Complainant B is scheduled to begin her testimony on Tuesday morning, at which point the jury will view a video recording of her police interview from March 2024. The trial is ongoing.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-01 14:54:27 UTC