Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Denies All Sex Abuse Allegations, Calls Accusations "Unbelievable" in Police Interview
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, asserted in a police interview that allegations of sexual abuse against him were "unbelievable," specifically denying the circumstances of a claimed rape incident involving one of the two complainants. The former Democratic Unionist Party leader has pleaded not guilty to 18 sex abuse charges, allegedly committed between 1985 and 2008.
Police Interview Details
During a four-and-a-half-hour interview conducted in March 2024 following his arrest at his County Down home, Sir Jeffrey was questioned extensively. A detective constable at Newry Crown Court confirmed that three hours of the recorded interview would be presented as evidence. A prosecution barrister stated the interview had been edited, with consent, to remove repetitive and irrelevant material, ensuring an accurate reflection of Sir Jeffrey's defence.
When confronted with an allegation that he had "rub[bed his] penis around the area of her clitoris" and "inserted [his] penis into the entrance of her vagina," Sir Jeffrey replied, "That did not happen. The answer to that is absolutely no." Asked if anything of that nature had ever occurred, he responded, "Never. Not ever."
He also denied an allegation from Complainant B that he had lifted her top and "started playing with her breasts," stating, "No, no, no." This incident was reportedly witnessed by Lady Eleanor Donaldson, who, according to Sir Jeffrey, would have intervened if she perceived anything amiss due to her nature.
Regarding a 1990s meeting at the Christian Family Centre in Armoy, where he had apologised to a complainant who had disclosed childhood sexual abuse to a pastor, Sir Jeffrey clarified that his apology was because she had felt "uncomfortable," not due to any specific allegations of his own inappropriate behaviour. "Nobody put any allegation to me about inappropriate behaviour of any kind," he insisted.
Sir Jeffrey also addressed claims from Complainant A, the younger alleged victim, denying he had shone a light on her private parts, touched her breasts, or kissed her while inserting his tongue. He refuted suggestions he made comments designed to sexualise Complainant A or were sexually motivated, stating, "absolutely not."
Concluding one section of his interview, Sir Jeffrey stated, "I've answered all your questions and I'm saying to you what fits. I've taken each situation that you've put to me and I do not accept the picture that is being painted here."
Lady Eleanor Donaldson, who denies charges of aiding and abetting, faces a trial of the facts due to being deemed unfit for a conventional trial on mental health grounds. Her police interview is scheduled to be played to the jury on Tuesday. Both complainants reported their allegations to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in March 2024, with alleged offences spanning 1985 to 2008.