Donaldson told police sex abuse allegations were 'unbelievable'

2 hours ago

The jury in the Sir Jeffrey Donaldson trial has started listening to a recording of his police interview.

The former DUP leader was arrested at his County Down home in March 2024 and questioned for several hours at Antrim Police Station, before being charged.

Sir Jeffrey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 sex abuse charges, including one count of rape, allegedly committed between 1985 and 2008.

There are two alleged victims.

A detective constable told Newry Crown Court that Sir Jeffrey was interviewed for a total of four-and-a-half hours.

Three hours of the interview will be played in court.

A prosecution barrister said that it had been edited to remove "repetition and irrelevant material", with the consent of all parties.

She said what was being played is an accurate reflection of Sir Jeffrey's case.

The interview is being played to the court in three parts.

The first section lasted just over 50 minutes.

At the start, Sir Jeffrey gives his full name and date of birth.

Referring to the two alleged victims, a police officer is then heard asking: "You are aware of the two complainants involved and the timeframes we are talking about.

"Is there anything you want to say about this?"

Sir Jeffrey replied: "No".

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard one of the alleged victims, known as Complainant A, claim Sir Jeffrey had shone a bright light, possibly a torch, on her private parts.

Sir Jeffrey raised the incident in the first part of the interview.

He said: "She thought I was shining a light at her… and you know I didn't have a light.

"I wasn't doing anything untoward.

"At no stage has [Complainant A] ever said to me that I touched her or did anything inappropriate on that occasion."

Sir Jeffrey's wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson denies charges of aiding and abetting.

She faces a trial of the facts after she was previously deemed unfit to face a conventional trial on mental health grounds, and is therefore not participating in proceedings.

Her police interview will be played to the jury at Newry Crown Court on Tuesday.

The offences against the two alleged victims allegedly occurred between 1985 and 2008.

Both complainants in the trial reported their allegations to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in March 2024.

Sir Jeffrey denies acts of gross indecency and indecent assault against Complainant A when she was a child, between 1999 and 2008.

Other alleged offences, dating back to 1985, including a charge of rape, relate to a second woman, Complainant B, when she was also a child, which he also denies.