By Paul Higgins
The charges which are to be laid against Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife have been revealed.
While Sir Jeffrey is accused of the rape and sex abuse of one complainant and sexually abusing a second complainant, both of whom enjoy lifetime anonymity, his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson faces allegations of aiding and abetting rape and indecent assault as well as offences of child cruelty.
In relation to the complainant he is alleged to have raped, 61-year-old Sir Jeffrey faces a total of five charges including four counts of indecent assault and a single charge of rape, all alleged to have been committed on dates unknown between 1 January 1985 and 1 January 1991.
Sir Jeffrey, who is using the DUP party office on Castle Street in Lisburn as his address, faces six charges of indecent assault and one charge of gross indecency towards a child, allegedly committed on dates between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2006 in relation to the second complainant.
Lady Eleanor, 58 and whose is listed as the couples’ Co. Down home, is accused of aiding and abetting her husband in rape, aiding and abetting Sir Jeffrey in indecent assault and two counts of child cruelty in relation to the two complainants in that she allegedly wilfully neglected them.
The particulars of the aiding and abetting rape charge alleges that Sir Jeffrey raped the female on New Years Day 1985 “knowing that she did not so consent or being reckless as to whether the said person so consented” and that Lady Eleanor “did aid, abet, counsel and procure the commission of the said offence.”
The pair are expected to appear at Newry Magistrates Court later this morning.
Ends.
CLANRYE NEWS 