Credits:CNN
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), will stand trial over allegations of historical sex offenses, including one charge of rape. The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) confirmed that a preliminary inquiry held on Wednesday decided to proceed with a trial, which is scheduled to start on September 10.
Donaldson stepped down as DUP leader in March after being charged with 11 sexual offenses. Since then, he has been charged with an additional seven offenses. The 18 alleged offenses include one charge of rape, 13 charges of indecent assault of a female child, and four charges of gross indecency towards a child.
When asked in court if he wished to comment on the charges, Donaldson responded, “Not at this stage,” according to PA Media.
Eleanor Donaldson, Jeffrey Donaldson’s wife, is also set to stand trial in September. She faces one charge of aiding and abetting rape, three charges of aiding and abetting assault of a female child, and one charge of cruelty towards a person under the age of 16. Both Donaldson and his wife have previously denied all charges, as reported by Irish public broadcaster RTÉ on Wednesday.
Jeffrey Donaldson led the DUP from 2019 through much of the turbulent Brexit process, frequently voicing opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, a crucial part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement that ensured no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The announcement of Donaldson’s trial comes as Northern Ireland prepares to vote in the upcoming UK general election. Northern Ireland, as one of the UK’s four devolved nations, has 18 seats in the Westminster parliament. Politicians from Northern Ireland can choose to run for seats in either the Westminster parliament or the devolved legislature, the Northern Ireland Assembly. Notably, lawmakers from the leading Nationalist party, Sinn Féin, do not take up their seats in Westminster if elected.
Originally slated to run again in the Lagan Valley constituency, Donaldson has been replaced by his former DUP party colleague Jonathan Buckley.