Newry Crown Court Hears Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's Letter to Accuser Not an Apology for Abuse

In Newry Crown Court, Kieran Vaughan KC, representing Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, contended that a June 2020 letter sent by his client to Complainant A, one of two women accusing him of sex abuse, was unrelated to the allegations. Sir Jeffrey, the former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader, faces 18 sex abuse charges, including one count of rape, all of which he denies.

Complainant A had previously informed the court that she interpreted the letter, which expressed "regret" for "hurt, pain and distress," as an apology for the alleged abuse. However, Mr Vaughan argued this was not the "proper context," suggesting Sir Jeffrey was apologising for other "behaviour." He further claimed that Complainant A had not provided this context to the police when she submitted the letter in March 2024.

Complainant A countered, stating her belief that the letter was "an apology for what he did to me." She described Sir Jeffrey as a "very clever man" who would use indirect language, saying, "He would never write out what he has done in a letter but he could heavily suggest and hint that he was sorry for it." She concluded that this indirect acknowledgment of a "sin" was "not enough."

Mr Vaughan also referenced various communications between Sir Jeffrey and Complainant A, which he characterised as demonstrating "friendly banter," aiming to contradict the abuse allegations. Complainant A rejected these claims, along with the assertion that the alleged sexual abuse incidents never occurred. She has alleged three incidents where Sir Jeffrey rubbed her breasts, kissed her inappropriately, and shone a light on her genital area.

The court also heard Complainant A's allegation that Lady Eleanor Donaldson, Sir Jeffrey's wife, witnessed one incident where he rubbed her chest under her clothing but did not intervene. Mr Vaughan described this claim as "nonsense," to which Complainant A responded, "That's insulting."

Complainant A reported her allegations to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in March 2024, explaining that she had hesitated previously due to the high-profile nature of the case and the involvement of media. Sir Jeffrey denies acts of gross indecency and indecent assault against Complainant A when she was a child, between 1999 and 2008. Allegations concerning a second woman, Complainant B, including a rape charge, date back to 1985. Lady Donaldson faces five related charges of aiding and abetting, which she denies; she has been deemed unfit for a conventional trial.