Husband of alleged victim in Donaldson abuse trial breaks down as he gives evidence
Husband of Complainant A Breaks Down in Court During Donaldson Trial
The spouse of one of the two women at the center of the Sir Jeffrey Donaldson sex abuse trial was overcome with emotion, breaking into tears as he recounted the pivotal moment his wife disclosed she had been sexually abused. Due to legal protections ensuring the anonymity of the complainants, the witness is identified only as the husband of Complainant A.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges of sexual abuse. Meanwhile, his wife, Lady Eleanor Donaldson, is facing a separate trial of the facts regarding her mental health, where she confronts five charges of aiding and abetting.
During proceedings at Newry Crown Court, the husband testified that his wife informed him that Sir Jeffrey had abused her "on a number of occasions" during her youth. Providing specific details, he stated that she described how the former politician had inappropriately touched her and kissed her with his tongue on multiple instances. He further recounted that she had shared an incident in which Sir Jeffrey allegedly exposed and viewed her private parts.
The witness noted that his wife was "scared" when she finally confided in him. "She told me that she never told anyone this, so I recognised this was massive for her," he said.
Under cross-examination by Sir Jeffrey’s defense counsel, Kieran Vaughan KC, the husband was questioned regarding the delay in reporting the allegations. He explained that his wife was still processing the events and coming to terms with the reality of what occurred.
"This was trauma she had for so many years, had boxed off, had tried to put on a smile and pretend that everything was OK and that was a difficult process," he explained. "She was genuinely terrified. We were both terrified."
Sir Jeffrey denies allegations of gross indecency and indecent assault against Complainant A, which are said to have occurred when she was a child between 1999 and 2008. Additional accusations, some dating back to 1985 and including a charge of rape, involve a second victim, Complainant B, who was also a minor at the time.
Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 14:31:50 UTC
