Donaldson trial hears evidence from complainant

The trial of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been told he wrote a letter to a woman who has accused him of sexually abusing her as a child saying he was seeking forgiveness and help from God.

Prosecution lawyer Rosemary Walsh read the handwritten letter, which she told Newry Crown Court had been sent to Complainant A in June 2020.

In it, Mr Donaldson said he "truly regretted all the hurt, pain and stress" he had caused.

"I wish I could find the right words to adequately express just how sorry I am for all of this… I take full responsibility for it all," he added.

Mr Donaldson said he was hoping that God would "lift a sinner from the deep pit of sin" and that pit had been dug by him because of his "selfish and deceptive ways."

The letter also said that Mr Donaldson was seeking professional help to deal with "the underlying issues that are at the root of this."

Questioned about the letter by the prosecution lawyer, Complainant A said she believed it was Mr Donaldson apologising for what happened to her, but not wanting to say it formally in writing.

She said she believed the letter was "written with a lot of guilt."

This morning, the trial began hearing evidence from one of two women who claim they were sexually abused by Mr Donaldson when they were children.

Mr Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 sexual offences charges, including one of rape.

His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, has pleaded not guilty to five related offences of aiding and abetting her husband's alleged offending.

The jury of seven men and five women this morning began hearing the evidence of one of the two complainants.

Complainant A cannot be named for legal reasons.

A prosecution lawyer yesterday told the court the two complainants had "stepped forward" two and a half years ago, and told police about "difficult and traumatic incidents they say happened to them when they were children."

Mr Donaldson has denied eight offences relating to Complainant A, four of indecent assault and four of gross indecency, all of which are alleged to have occurred between 1999 and 2008.

The jury watched a recorded police interview with Complainant A conducted by a PSNI detective sergeant on 8 March 2024.

It lasted for just under an hour.

Complainant A began by telling the police officer that she had been sexually abused by Jeffrey Donaldson "from quite a young age", but that the "dates are quite patchy and foggy".

She said Mr Donaldson would have been quite physical with her on a number of occasions and that while at primary school she started to have nightmares about men "doing horrible things to children."

The complainant said Mr Donaldson would have put his hand underneath her top "quite a lot" and made comments about her physical appearance, including the size of her breasts.

She said she remembered an incident when she was a teenager when Mr Donaldson had used a bright light, possibly a torch, to look at her private parts.

She said the experience made her feel scared.

Complainant A also said there were a few occasions when he kissed her and put his tongue in her mouth.

She said this was "all very much laughed off, that it was just a joke."

She told the officer that when she went to university, she became "very angry" and realised that what had been happening was wrong and that Mr Donaldson’s interest in her "was not normal."

"She later confided in her husband and finally in March 2024 she made a formal complaint to police."

The complainant said she "felt very dirty for a long time" and had contacted police because she could not "live with this anymore".

The court has been told that Mr Donaldson has denied all the allegations during his police interviews.

After a short break, the court heard a second police interview conducted by the same PSNI detective sergeant later the same day. It lasted around 20 minutes.

The complainant told the officer about an occasion where Mr Donaldson had one hand up her top and under her bra and was rubbing her breasts.

She said that kind of behaviour "became a very casual thing" that happened quite often.

She said he would start rubbing her with his hand outside her clothing and then put his hand underneath.

In addition to confiding in her husband, she said she had also spoken to a counsellor from Nexus, a charity that provides support to victims of sexual abuse.

Complainant A said she had challenged Mr Donaldson in the presence of another person, asking him "to confirm that this happened to me."

She said he did not respond verbally, but nodded and looked at the floor. "He couldn't look at me," she added.

The trial continues.