Tomás Ó Flatharta

The long-delayed trial of former Democratic Unionist party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson is due to start on the week beginning May 25 2026. An unusual development has occurred.

A May 20 2026 RTÉ News Report states :

A judge has ruled that the wife of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is unfit to face a criminal trial on sexual offences charges due to the state of her mental health.

Eleanor Donaldson, aged 60, will now face what is called a “trial of facts” rather than a normal trial.

That means a jury cannot find her guilty but will be asked to determine whether she committed the offences she is charged with.

Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, will face a normal criminal trial on 18 charges which he denies.

The former DUP leader has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency and 13 charges of indecent assault.

Ms Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to five charges including aiding and abetting her husband.

The 23 charges relate to offences allegedly committed against two plaintiffs between 1985 and 2008.

Their trial is scheduled to begin next week.

Judge Paul Ramsey ruled that Ms Donaldson is unfit to face a normal criminal trial after hearing evidence from a consultant forensic psychiatrist and reading reports from two doctors.

Dr Christine Kennedy told the court that Ms Donaldson was found to be “severely depressed”, suicidal and suffering with “high levels of anxiety”.

She said that on the balance of probabilities Ms Donaldson would not be able to instruct her legal team, could not follow the trial proceedings and would not be able to give evidence.

The judge heard legal submissions about whether the trial of facts will be heard simultaneously with Jeffrey Donaldson’s trial or run as separate proceedings at a different time.

He will issue a judgement on that issue tomorrow.

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