Jury to continue deliberations in Jeffrey Donaldson sex offences trial tomorrow

LAST UPDATE | 20 hrs ago

THE JURY WILL continue its deliberations in the sexual offences trial of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson tomorrow morning.

Judge Paul Ramsey finished summarising the case at Newry Crown Court at around 12.15pm.

The jury were sent out to consider their deliberations at 1.22pm.

The 63-year-old former MP has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency, and span a period between 1985 and 2008 involving two alleged victims.

Donaldson, wearing a dark grey suit and a pink tie, sat in the dock at the back of the court with his arms folded while the judge delivered his remarks.

The judge told the jury: “We are now reaching the closing stages of the trial.”

He said the jurors had to be satisfied that the prosecution had proven the case against Donaldson beyond reasonable doubt before they could convict.

The judge noted that the “prosecution must bear the burden of proving the case beyond reasonable doubt”.

“It’s a term you have heard in movies and the like, but you need to be sure.”

He told the jury that they have “diverse experiences and common sense” and that they can draw upon this.

“You must not decide on innuendo, speculation or rumour.”

The judge also called on the jury “not to be swayed by sympathy or prejudice against one or the other”.

He also warned against “common misconceptions” and said that the jury cannot make “assumptions” based on how an alleged victim or perpetrator behaved.

The judge also noted that while some people raise complaints about sexual assault immediately, others may wait a long time and that the jury must “fight against the trap of falling into preconceived notions”.

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He also said that “inconsistencies” in accounts does not necessarily mean it is “untrue”.

The judge also reminded the jury to “look at all the evidence in relation to all of the charges”.

He said it was a “very wrong approach” to feel that a defendant may be ‘guilty on some counts, so guilty on them all” and vice versa.

Before sending the jury out for lunch, the judge said: “What I am interested in at this moment of time is a unanimous decision, one way or another.”

At 1.15pm, the judge called the jury back briefly and informed them that some matters had been brought to his attention.

At 1.22pm, he then directed the jury to leave the courtroom and begin their deliberations.

At 4.30pm, the judge noted that the jury had been deliberating for 3 hours and 10 minutes.

He asked for them to come back for 10.30am tomorrow morning to recommence their deliberations.

“It’s been a long day and I’m going to release you for the day.”

He reminded them to stay away from social media and to refrain from discussing the trial.

Complainants A and B have both given evidence at the trial.

Both women allege they were abused as children.

Donaldson spent two days giving evidence during the trial.

His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending.

She is facing a trial of the facts on mental health grounds.

The trial of the facts will test the evidence in the case but cannot result in a criminal conviction.

The judge remarked that “trial of the facts” was the most Googled term in Northern Ireland last month but that it is “not unheard of, had happened before and will happen again.”

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