Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has denied that he attended a meeting with one of his accusers to “nip in the bud” allegations against him, as he continued giving evidence in his trial for 18 sex abuse charges.
The former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader, 63, told Newry Crown Court he went to the Christian Family Centre in Armoy in the late 1990s willingly and was not worried. The meeting had been arranged by one of the centre’s founders, Davey Hoy, after Complainant B told a pastor about the alleged abuse.
“Sir Jeffrey Donaldson denies meeting accuser to ‘nip in the bud’ sex abuse claims at trial.”
Prosecution lawyer Rosemary Walsh KC suggested Donaldson had gone because it was “something you needed to nip in the bud”. He replied: “He didn’t say ‘you need to get up to Armoy as there are serious issues to deal with’. I was not worried about going. I went willingly.”
In evidence, Complainant B stated Donaldson had apologised to her – but he claimed he was saying sorry if he had ever made her feel “uncomfortable” about him. He said no allegations were raised at the meeting. “If the suggestion is that what I was apologising for is that someone had said there were allegations, that is not the case,” he said. “She had become a Christian and wanted to move forward… I responded to that.”
Donaldson said they embraced at the end of the short meeting, also attended by his wife Linda and Davey Hoy. But Linda Hoy previously told the court that Complainant B cried when she said she forgave Sir Jeffrey. Walsh asked Donaldson why, if the meeting was a “positive experience”, Complainant B had cried. “I remember talking with her, I don’t remember the tears, I remember we embraced at the end of the meeting… maybe when I left there were tears, I don’t know,” he said.
Walsh then suggested Donaldson “took control” of the meeting, saying: “You went in there and immediately said that you knew what all this was about and that you were truly sorry.” He denied this: “I didn’t take control of that meeting, I did not march into that meeting and say ‘OK I know what this is about’.”
The prosecution also asked about evidence that Complainant B had disclosed allegations to the Hoys’ daughter, Claire Selfridge, when the two women were teens. Walsh asked Donaldson if Complainant B had lied to Selfridge. He replied that he was not in a position to answer.
Donaldson denies 18 offences, including one count of rape, allegedly committed between 1985 and 2008 against two complainants who say they were abused as children. He has said he is “crystal clear” the rape allegation is false.