Between them, the two alleged victims in the trial of Jeffrey and Eleanor Donaldson on child sex abuse charges have spent five days in the witness box. <\/p>\n
Connecting to Newry crown court via video link from an adjoining room, they have watched as their police interviews have been played to the jury, taken questions from the prosecution barrister and then faced lengthy cross-examination by defence barristers lasting, in the case of one of the complainants, for a full two days.<\/p>\n
In one of the most emotionally-charged moments of the trial so far, Complainant B broke down when asked why she had not gone to the police many years ago, saying she blamed herself for what happened to the second alleged victim. <\/p>\n
\u201cI should have [gone to the police] … I should have,\u201d she said, but she was \u201cso afraid … so embarrassed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should have,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I\u2019d done that, it wouldn\u2019t have happened [to her]. It\u2019s my fault.\u201d <\/p>\n
She told the court what happened was \u201cseared into her brain for the rest of her life\u201d and her \u201cbiggest mistake\u201d was not telling anyone at the time. <\/p>\n
\u201cI will regret that every day.\u201d <\/p>\n
The former DUP<\/a> leader and ex-MP Jeffrey Donaldson<\/a> (63) with an address in Dromore, Co Down<\/a>, is accused of 18 offences: one count of rape; four of gross indecency with or towards a child; and 13 counts of indecent assault on a female, on dates between 1985 and 2008. <\/p>\n He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. <\/p>\n His wife Eleanor Donaldson (60) of the same address, is charged with five counts of aiding and abetting in connection with the charges faced by her husband \u2013 charges she denies. <\/p>\n Eleanor Donaldson is not present in court as she has been ruled unfit to stand trial on the basis of medical evidence, and the jury of seven men and five women will instead decide on the basis of the evidence presented whether she committed the acts alleged. <\/p>\n The trial began at Newry crown court last week and is expected to last about four weeks. <\/p>\n At roughly the halfway point, the prosecution is still setting out its case. The majority of the evidence has been from the two alleged victims, who cannot be identified and are known as Complainant A and Complainant B. <\/p>\n Throughout Jeffrey Donaldson has been watching from the dock, flanked by two custody officers. <\/p>\n He reacts rarely, only once or twice, with a shake of the head. For most of the evidence he has stared straight ahead, an impassive look on his face, or has his head down, making notes.<\/p>\n