UK

Former DUP leader denies historical sex abuse charges

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 historical sexual abuse charges.

His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, has also pleaded not guilty to three charges of aiding and abetting.

The couple appeared in court at Newry in County Down.

The 61-year-old former MP and his wife, 58, were arrested at their home in March this year.

Eleanor Donaldson arriving for an arraignment hearing at Newry Court.
Pic PA
Image:
Eleanor Donaldson denies aiding and abetting. Pic: PA

He faces one charge of rape, four of gross indecency and 13 of indecent assault over a 21-year period between 1987 and 2008.

Ms Donaldson is contesting three charges, including aiding and abetting.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

More on Dup

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Articles You May Like

Singer punches guitarist mid-song as rock band’s reunion gig ends in chaos
The iPhone 16 Pro Max has better battery life and great cameras, but Apple Intelligence hasn’t arrived
Tesla is testing a goofy camouflaged Robotaxi prototype ahead of reveal
‘Questions raised’ after huge scale of Starmer’s gifts and freebies revealed, says Tory leadership hopeful
YouTube announces AI features from Google DeepMind for Shorts creators