Jeffrey Donaldson

[Cafog]

Is there a thread yet that I haven't found? Shocked to hear this news this morning about the recently knighted MP and leader of the DUP being charged with historical sex offences along with his wife. And disgusted at all those in a froth on social media who haven't even spared a thought for his potential victims.

Can anyone explain to me why it went to court today? I thought they'd already been charged, so why did a judge today need to agree there was sufficient evidence for the case to come to court?

"The hearing was held to establish whether there was enough evidence to send the pair to trial.

Lady Eleanor Donaldson, co-accused and wife of Jeffrey Donaldson, arrives at Newry magistrates' court on Wednesday - Damien Eagers
Judge Eamonn King said “I am satisfied there is a prime facie case to answer.”
The pair will return to court on September 10 for an arraignment hearing at Newry Crown Court before an expected later trial.
Sir Jeffrey originally faced 11 charges at an earlier April court appearance.
He is now accused of a total of 18 offences after Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service considered police evidence.
Lady Eleanor is to face five charges, rather than four, which are one count of aiding and abetting rape, three charges of aiding and abetting indecent assault and one count of cruelty to a person under 16 years.
They are alleged to have occurred between 1987 and 2008 and involve two victims."

So when the PSNI charged them a while back, that didn’t automatically mean the case would end up in court? I thought the police consult with the PPS, who decide if the threshold for charging has been met and if it has, the accused is charged and goes to court. I don’t understand why there is this step involving a judge. Is it different in GB? ( and on the telly? 😁)

If they faced these charges in the Republic of Ireland would their names be publicised before the actual trial ?
I know we have different laws to Northern Ireland.

I absolutely detest how the press are still giving them their titles when referring to them. Her with her smug face thinking she's above everybody, smirking away to the cameras. And moany old Jeff with his new scruffy look. Absolute sickos the pair of them.

If they give other people their titles, why shouldn't they give them their titles? It might shine a light on the whole ridiculous system of deference.

The way she looked round and smiled at the police who lined the entry to the court was disgusting. Acting like she was arriving at a red carpet event and they were there to wave at her.

Clearly they are both going to brazen it out, but in these cases 'innocent until proven guilty' carries less weight with me. The PPS would not bring charges and the judge would not deem there to be a case to answer without substantial evidence of them being guilty. It's just too high profile to take forward a flaky he said/ she said case.

That then leads to the likelihood that the victims will have to go through prolonged questioning and relive the events in detail. Never mind having it all aired in the press. Making the two accused even more evil for forcing their victims to endure more pain.

What I find really awful is what her charges actually mean- I initially thought it might have been that she found out after and didn’t report but it is much worse!

I know, it's horrific.

I do have a tiny shred of sympathy, in that to discover that about your new husband in that time and place... She probably didn't feel she had many options.

She did of course, and she should burn, but I don't think we should pretend it happened in 2024's society either.

I haven't one shred of sympathy for anyone other than the victims. Aiding and abetting is not the same as turning a blind eye, which would have been abhorrent enough. Aiding and abetting is taking an active role in the abuse.

Hmm. Perhaps you're right.

Obviously my sympathy lies with the victims. I don't know that sympathy was the word I was reaching for. The tiniest bit of empathy maybe? I guess the truth will out now.

Whatever happened, I hope she never knows another moment of peace.

For some reason I find the 'wilful neglect' charge particularly horrific. Obviously rape and assaults are worse as acts, but for someone so capable of presenting in such a very groomed, and controlled, and non-neglected way herself, to wilfully neglect a child is dreadful, and seems like a chronic thing.

Self-image and presentation is so important to them. The time I sat across the lunch table from him was in the 1990s - during his alleged crimes - and he was so polished and groomed and his silk tie so perfectly co-cordinated with his expensive shirt. With his horrible little mean mouth so tightly pursed.

Repeating myself here, but I'm glad my pal and I turned our conversation to the more awful manifestations of the Black Death (and how Gaelic Ireland weathered it better than the 'English' towns (it was relevant to academic stuff in our lives at that time) - hope it spoiled his lunch.

It all adds an extra layer to his noddy-dog performance in that 'meet the King' session with Michelle, Alex et al.

"The way she looked round and smiled at the police who lined the entry to the court was disgusting. Acting like she was arriving at a red carpet event and they were there to wave at her."

I only saw a still photo but I thought jeez looks like her neck is made of solid brass, careful lady, the party won't save you now - you're on your own, and you could be riding for a hard fall.

Not commenting on this case particularly although I'd love to, but I'm a bit wary of sub judice rules and them claiming because of pre trial publicity they couldn't get a fair trial or something.

Anyway, brazening it out seems to be a tactic in many of these cases. Head high, I did nothing wrong, prove it etc. There have been cases where the perpetrator saw nothing wrong with their paedophilic actions saying things like, "i was educating them, they were willing and happy to be with me" and so on.

I think for me, actions such as are alleged, are so far outside my sphere of knowledge or experience that I just can't take it in.

I do hope the victims have plenty of all round support both personal and professional. They were very brave in the face of a public figure in a somewhat repressed and ultra religious part of the world.

They walk among us.

'repressed and ultra religious' or an absolute cesspit where a full account of the horrors and official collusion around Kincora has never been given?

Or of the exploitative elements in the narco-gangs whose political wing is bedding in round the east coast.

I agree the victims are brave to speak out, and I hope they are getting every support they need.

Northern Ireland is certainly a place where many horrendous acts have happened - in the name of supposed religious righteousness, and/or as a result of weird behaviours caused or encouraged by religious zealotry, and/or covered up by religious institutions.
But religion is at the heart of it all, giving structure, tradition and justification to some of humanity's worst and most abhorrent attributes.

Many think that the word would be a better place without religion, but I suspect people would still perpetuate horrendous cruelty on each other. We'd just find a different way to organise and justify it.

@ColleenDonaghy
"I do have a tiny shred of sympathy, in that to discover that about your new husband in that time and place... She probably didn't feel she had many options."

Can you say more about the 'time and place' that Eleanor Donaldson discovered something about her new husband? Or point to a source?

it has over here anyway AND they referred to her a "lady Something" I know innocent until blah but that stuck in my craw & I don't care about stupid titles

I agree. It's got nothing to do with religion and everything to do with human nature. Aside from anything else, religion is man made so if they can't have religion, they'll create something else.

I don't know actually, that's a really good question.. I'll try & find out