Eleanor Donaldson, the wife of former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson, has been placed under a three-year supervision order and added to the sex offenders' register for five years. The ruling was delivered at Newry Crown Court on Wednesday, where Donaldson appeared via video link, visibly emotional and tearful.
Court Proceedings and Ruling
Judge Paul Ramsey presided over the 30-minute hearing, during which Donaldson confirmed she understood the terms of the supervision treatment order (STO). The order requires her to be supervised by a social worker from the Craigavon Community Mental Health Team, maintain contact, attend appointments, and comply with any recommended treatment.
Donaldson could not be sentenced to prison because she faced a 'trial of the facts' after being deemed medically unfit for a criminal trial. The court found she committed the acts related to five charges, including four of aiding and abetting her husband's offending.
Background on Jeffrey Donaldson
Last month, Jeffrey Donaldson was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a series of child sex offences against two victims, including one count of rape, occurring between 1985 and 2008. He is currently seeking to appeal against his convictions.
Eleanor Donaldson, 60, appeared on screen for less than three minutes, dressed in black and with two large cuts on her forehead. She kept her eyes closed and head tilted down throughout the proceedings.
Options Under Mental Health Legislation
Judge Ramsey had four options under mental health legislation: a hospital order, a guardianship order, an absolute discharge, or a supervision treatment order. Based on the advice of two medical experts, an STO was deemed the most appropriate, and neither the prosecution nor the defence objected.
Before the judge addressed Donaldson, prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh KC referred to victim impact statements that spoke of anger and questioned why the offending happened. Walsh said that 'pain permeated' through the statements of the two victims.
Understanding 'Trial of the Facts'
A trial of the facts is a procedure used when a court determines that a person is unfit to stand trial and criminal proceedings cannot go ahead. It replaces a criminal trial and determines whether the accused committed the acts alleged. It cannot result in a conviction, but if the court is not satisfied that the accused committed the acts, the person will be acquitted. The procedure is provided for by Article 49A of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. It is not frequently used, but a notable example was the 2019 trial of former IRA leader Ivor Bell.
