Jeffrey Donaldson case: 10 reminders before Tuesday's hearing

When was Donaldson arrested?

Donaldson was arrested along with his wife Eleanor on the morning of Thursday, March 28, when police arrived at their home in County Down.

They were taken to Antrim police station, where they were questioned separately throughout the day. The pair were then charged in the evening.

What are Donaldson and his wife accused of?

Jeffrey Donaldson was initially charged with 11 historical sex offences, while Eleanor Donaldson was charged with four counts of aiding and abetting.

After the prosecution reviewed the police evidence in the case, it emerged that seven further charges had been brought against Donaldson, while one further charge had been brought against Eleanor Donaldson.

The 18 charges against the former DUP leader are:

One count of rape
Four counts of gross indecency
13 counts of indecent assault

When did the alleged offences occur?

The charges against Jeffrey Donaldson involve two complainants and are alleged to have taken place between 1985 and 2008.

The charges of complicity against Eleanor Donaldson involve two complainants and are alleged to have taken place between 1985 and 2006.

What did the PSNI say?

Without naming Donaldson or his wife, a PSNI spokesman said after the couple were initially charged: “Police Service of Northern Ireland detectives have arrested and charged a 61-year-old man with non-recent sexual offences.

“A 57-year-old woman was also arrested and charged at the time with complicity in additional offences.

“Both are due to appear in Newry Magistrates’ Court on April 24.”

In June, the PSNI confirmed that an investigation into online comments made after Donaldson’s resignation was still ongoing.

What was the DUP’s reaction?

The day after the couple were charged, the DUP named Donaldson as the person in question in a statement and confirmed his resignation, while announcing the appointment of Gavin Robinson as interim leader of the party. Mr Robinson was later confirmed as permanent leader of the DUP.

Before the general election in July, Mr Robinson had said his opponents could use the Donaldson affair for “political” purposes.

What did Donaldson say?

The Lagan Valley MP did not comment on his arrest until his court appearance in April, when he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and that he understood the charges against him.

In a letter to DUP leaders after his arrest, he said he would “vigorously contest” the charges against him.

Where have Donaldson and his wife been since they were charged and first appeared in court?

The initial bail conditions prevented the couple from having any contact. Donaldson was held on bail at an address in London, while his wife was held on bail at the family home in County Down. The bail conditions were later relaxed, allowing the couple to have contact.

What happened when they first appeared on April 24?

Donaldson and his wife Eleanor appeared in court in Newry, sitting in the dock, separated by security staff.

Both defendants took the stand to confirm their names, dates of birth and to say they understood the charges against them. A PSNI officer said he could link the defendant to the charges.

An application to vary bail conditions to allow contact between Mr and Mrs Donaldson was granted by the judge.

The Crown Prosecution Service lawyer said a list of potential witnesses the defendants are not allowed to contact would be provided to the court, adding that more witnesses have been interviewed since the charges were initially laid.

Each defendant was released on £350 personal bail.

What happened in court on May 22?

None of the defendants appeared in court on May 22. In an update, prosecutors informed the court that the case was “moving forward quickly” and set a date for a preliminary hearing on July 3.

Donaldson was initially prohibited from having contact with anyone under the age of 16. On May 22, that bail condition was changed to “no unsupervised contact” with anyone under the age of 16, and that supervision cannot be carried out by Eleanor Donaldson.

A brief hearing in the case also took place on June 12, when it was confirmed that the preliminary hearing would go ahead as scheduled.

What happened in court on July 3?

Donaldson and his wife Eleanor arrived separately at Newry court.

The two men were separated in the dock by a court official.

Both defendants confirmed their names and dates of birth before the charge was read to them.

Counsel for the PPS said there was a prima facie case to answer, with none of the defendant’s lawyers making any submissions to the contrary. Justice King said he was satisfied there was a prima facie case to answer.

Donaldson was asked if he was aware of the allegations against him and if he wanted to say anything about them, to which he replied: “No, not at this stage.”

In response to the same question, Eleanor Donaldson replied: “No.”

Both men repeated their answers when asked if they would like to submit a written statement regarding the charges.

Judge King granted extended bail on the same terms as previously agreed, before setting a date of September 10 for the defendants to appear in court at Newry Crown Court.