ELEANOR DONALDSON IS due to appear before court in December for an application to have two charges against her dropped.
Eleanor Donaldson and her husband, former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, last appeared before Newry Crown Court on 10 September.
At that hearing, Jeffrey Donaldson forcefully said “not guilty” when asked to deliver his plea – he was initially charged with 11 historical offences but now faces 18 following a review.
Meanwhile, Eleanor Donaldson pleaded not guilty to three charges and sought to challenge two others under a “no bill application” and have them withdrawn.
Lawyers for the two appeared before Newry Crown Court for a review of the case, which was described by Judge Paul Ramsey as an “administrative matter”.
Neither Jeffrey nor Eleanor Donaldson had to appear before court today but it is expected that the couple will face a two-week trial, beginning on 24 March.
In Newry Crown Court today, Judge Ramsey said the court will hear Eleanor Donaldson’s no bill application on 17 December, ahead of an expected March trial.
The judge said he has heard a “skeleton case” in relation to this.
It is expected that Eleanor Donaldson will have to appear in court on this date as the hearing will relate to her, while Jeffrey Donaldson’s appearance is not expected to be required.
It was agreed that if there are “other further legal issues” to be raised on the 17 December hearing, the court will be notified in advance at some time before the end of November.
Jeffrey Donaldson was arrested and charged in relation to historical sexual allegations at the end of March.
He was initially charged with 11 historical offences, but following a review of an evidence file by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), faces 18 charges.
He is accused of one charge of rape, four of gross indecency and 13 charges of indecent assault. The charges span a time period between 1985 and 2008.
His wife Eleanor Donaldson faces charges of aiding and abetting in connection with the alleged offences. The number of charges she faces also increased upon review from four to five.
However, she is challenging two of these and this will go before court on 17 December.
There are two alleged victims.
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