A woman who has accused Jeffrey Donaldson of sexually abusing her as a child has claimed his wife, Eleanor Donaldson, “did nothing” about an abuse allegation, Newry Crown Court has heard.
On the third day of evidence at the former DUP leader’s sex offences trial, a defence barrister for Eleanor Donaldson asked the woman, known as Complainant A, about an alleged incident which she said took place when she was aged 13 or 14.
Earlier in the trial, jurors heard that Complainant A had claimed she was woken by a light which was shone at her “private parts” by Jeffrey Donaldson.
On Monday, defence barrister Ian Turkington asked the complainant – whose identity is protected by law – if she recalled describing Jeffrey Donaldson to Eleanor Donaldson as a “weirdo” who was looking at her in relation to the alleged incident.
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“In that moment, I was terrified. I didn’t know how else to describe it. That was the word that came out of my mouth,” she said.
Under cross-examination, Complainant A confirmed that the alleged incident was discussed with Eleanor Donaldson the following day.
She said Eleanor Donaldson was “checking if I was telling the truth”.
“I knew by the look on her face she knew I was telling the truth,” she told the court. “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 woman said she also made Eleanor Donaldson aware of a separate incident in which she claimed Jeffrey Donaldson kissed her and put his tongue in her mouth.
Eleanor Donaldson “laughed it off as if it was a joke”, said Complainant A.
“I told her he had just kissed me, put his tongue in my mouth and moved it around,” she told the jury of seven men and five women.
“It was responded with, ‘it was just a joke’.”
The defence barrister referred to a police interview in March 2024, when Complainant A reported the alleged abuse.
Turkington put it to the witness the interview notes stated that it was “all sort of laughed off”.
“It wasn’t laughed off by me … I can absolutely guarantee you I was not laughing at all,” she replied.
The defence barrister asked her: “Are you making this up as you go along?”
“Absolutely not. I find that ridiculous to even infer that,” replied Complainant A.
The woman is one of two alleged female victims who have accused Donaldson of sexually abusing them as children.
Jeffrey Donaldson (63), with an address in Dromore, Co Down, is accused of 18 offences – one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 counts of indecent assault on a female, on dates between 1985 and 2008. He denies the charges.
His wife, Eleanor Donaldson (60), of the same address, is charged with five counts of aiding and abetting in connection with the charges faced by her husband – charges she denies.
Eleanor Donaldson is not present in court as she has been ruled unfit to stand trial on the basis of medical evidence. She will instead face a trial of the facts – which replaces a criminal trial in such circumstances – which will run concurrently with her husband’s trial, which began last week.
During cross-examination, Turkington asked Complainant A if she had sent Eleanor Donaldson a text message in 2022 in which she said she didn’t blame her for the alleged abuse.
“That is correct, that’s what I said,” she replied.
The defence barrister put it to her: “You didn’t blame her because she didn’t do anything wrong.”
The complainant said she “completely disagreed” with his suggestion.
“I do not blame her (Eleanor Donaldson) for the abuse that happened at the time, but I do blame her that nothing was done about it,” Complainant A added.
Earlier on Monday, Turkington referred to counselling sessions Complainant A received which included a note about her memory being “quite foggy”.
He asked her if her memory of the alleged abuse in relation to the kissing was “quite foggy”.
“No I wouldn’t agree with that,” she replied.
She said there were other “kissing” incidents but the one that she had “the most detail on” was the “one that lasted the longest” when Jeffrey Donaldson put his tongue in her mouth.
It was the one she had told Eleanor Donaldson about, the jury was told.
“This is the one where I have very clear recollection of. Let me be precise, there may have been (other kisses).
“I’m not putting numbers (on it), it happened a number of times. Several occasions.
“But this one is the most significant.”
The trial will resume on Tuesday with the evidence of the second alleged victim in the case.
