Newry Crown Court has heard Jeffrey Donaldson sent a message to a minister supporting one of his alleged victims, saying he wanted to “repent before them as he had before God.”

The husband of an alleged victim in the abuse trial has broken down as he gave evidence on Thursday.

63-year-old former MP Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to all the 18 charges he is facing, they include rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault. His wife Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road in Dromore, County Down denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending. She is facing a trial of the facts.

Allison Morris is covering the trial for the Belfast Telegraph.

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A woman who claims former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson raped her as a child has told a court in Newry she regrets not contacting police sooner. Witness B said she has “tried not to be a victim” in the years since the alleged abuse. During cross-examination on Wednesday afternoon, she said she wished she had “screamed out”.

Jeffrey Donaldson is accused of rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault. The former MP has pleaded not guilty to the 18 alleged offences.

His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road in Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting – she faces a trial of the facts as she has been ruled unfit for a criminal trial.

Allison Morris is covering the trial for the Belfast Telegraph.

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Eleanor Donaldson “did nothing” when told of an allegation of abuse by her husband, Jeffrey Donaldson, a court has heard.

The claim from one of the alleged victims came during week two of the former DUP leader’s trial.

63-year-old Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency.

Donaldson’s wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending.

The 60-year-old is facing a trial of the facts, not a criminal trial, after judge Paul Ramsey ruled her unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds.

Allison Morris was in court for day four of evidence.

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