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The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
‘Significant deterioration' in Eleanor Donaldson's medical condition, court told
There has been a deterioration in the medical condition of the wife of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, a court has been told. A barrister said the court is waiting on an assessment over whether Lady Eleanor Donaldson is fit to stand trial later this year, on charges relating to alleged historical sex offences. The trial had previously been due to start in March, but was delayed due to Eleanor Donaldson's medical condition. Jeffrey Donaldson, 62, who did not attend the hearing at Newry Crown Court on Thursday, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences. The charges include one count of rape as well as allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. The charges span a time period between 1985 and 2008, and there are two alleged victims. Eleanor Donaldson, 59, of Dublinhill Road, Dromore, who also did not attend court, is facing charges of aiding and abetting, which she denies. A new trial date has been set for November 3. Reviewing the case, Judge Paul Ramsey said he had been furnished with three separate medical reports in respect of Eleanor Donaldson. Barrister for Eleanor Donaldson Ian Turkington KC said: 'We have put that medical evidence in place and sadly you will see there has been a significant mental deterioration. 'Those aren't my words, those are the words you'll see from the consultant psychiatrist. 'What we don't have is any assessment in relation to her capacity (to stand trial), that is really the next step.' Mr Turkington said an appointment was scheduled with a forensic psychiatrist on July 19. Judge Ramsey said he would review the case again before the end of the legal term on June 26 and again at the start of the next term on August 1. The judge said neither defendant needed to attend court on either date. Prosecuting barrister Fiona O' Kane said she was 'keen to keep hold of the momentum' in the case. She added: 'We have lost a trial date. It is not an inconsiderable amount of time since this case first arrived in the crown court. 'We have five full months now until the trial … we want to make sure the court is kept appraised at every stage.' Jeffrey Donaldson, the long-standing MP for Lagan Valley, was arrested and charged at the end of March last year. He resigned as DUP leader and was suspended from the party after the allegations emerged. Weeks before his arrest, he had led the DUP back into Stormont after a two-year boycott of the powersharing institutions. Previous deputy leader Gavin Robinson was appointed his successor as DUP chief.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
‘Significant deterioration' in Eleanor Donaldson's medical condition, court told
There has been a deterioration in the medical condition of the wife of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, a court has been told. A barrister said the court is waiting on an assessment over whether Lady Eleanor Donaldson is fit to stand trial later this year, on charges relating to alleged historical sex offences. Advertisement The trial had previously been due to start in March, but was delayed due to Eleanor Donaldson's medical condition. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences (Liam McBurney/PA) Jeffrey Donaldson, 62, who did not attend the hearing at Newry Crown Court on Thursday, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences. The charges include one count of rape as well as allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. The charges span a time period between 1985 and 2008, and there are two alleged victims. Advertisement Eleanor Donaldson, 59, of Dublinhill Road, Dromore, who also did not attend court, is facing charges of aiding and abetting, which she denies. A new trial date has been set for November 3rd. Reviewing the case, Judge Paul Ramsey said he had been furnished with three separate medical reports in respect of Eleanor Donaldson. Barrister for Eleanor Donaldson Ian Turkington KC said: 'We have put that medical evidence in place and sadly you will see there has been a significant mental deterioration. Advertisement 'Those aren't my words, those are the words you'll see from the consultant psychiatrist. 'What we don't have is any assessment in relation to her capacity (to stand trial), that is really the next step.' Mr Turkington said an appointment was scheduled with a forensic psychiatrist on July 19th. Judge Ramsey said he would review the case again before the end of the legal term on June 26 and again at the start of the next term on August 1st. Advertisement The judge said neither defendant needed to attend court on either date. Prosecuting barrister Fiona O'Kane said she was 'keen to keep hold of the momentum' in the case. She added: 'We have lost a trial date. It is not an inconsiderable amount of time since this case first arrived in the crown court. 'We have five full months now until the trial … we want to make sure the court is kept appraised at every stage.' Advertisement Jeffrey Donaldson, the long-standing MP for Lagan Valley, was arrested and charged at the end of March last year. He resigned as DUP leader and was suspended from the party after the allegations emerged. Ireland Court grants stay on suspension of TikTok data tra... Read More Weeks before his arrest, he had led the DUP back into Stormont after a two-year boycott of the powersharing institutions. Previous deputy leader Gavin Robinson was appointed his successor as DUP chief. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at or visit Rape Crisis Help.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
‘Significant deterioration' in the mental health of Eleanor Donaldson, court hears
There has been a 'significant deterioration' in the mental health of Eleanor Donaldson, the wife and co-accused of former DUP leader Jeffery Donaldson who are facing charges relating to sex offences, a court has heard. Medical evidence on Ms Donaldson's condition was presented at a pre-trial hearing at Newry Crown Court on Thursday. It remains unclear if she will be fit to stand trial, which is scheduled to take place in November. Mr Donaldson (62) and with an address in Dromore, Co Down, has previously pleaded not guilty to 18 offences – one count of rape, four of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 of indecent assault on a female, on dates between 1987 and 2008. READ MORE Mrs Donaldson (58) of the same address, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of aiding and abetting in connection with the charges faced by her husband. The defendants did not appear in court, as they were not required to attend. During Thursday's brief hearing, Ms Donaldson's defence barrister provided an update based on detailed notes from a medical assessment. 'Sadly, there has been a significant mental deterioration. Just to be clear, those aren't my words. Those are the words you will see from her consultant psychiatrist,' said Ian Turkington KC. 'But what we don't have is any assessment in relation to her capacity (to stand trial). That really is the next step.' Judge Paul Ramsey said he had been furnished with three separate medical reports in respect of Ms Donaldson and agreed that capacity was 'the real matter'. The trial was originally due to begin in March but was put back until November 3rd on account of Ms Donaldson's health. Mr Turkington told the court on Thursday that an appointment with a consultant forensic psychiatrist has been arranged for next month. Prosecution barrister Fiona O'Kane noted the appointment was for a 'full capacity assessment' and that the prosecution was also seeking its own independent expert. Ms O'Kane she was 'keen to keep hold of the momentum' in the case. 'We have lost a trial date. It is not an inconsiderable amount of time since this case first arrived in the crown court. 'We have five full months now until the trial … we want to make sure the court is kept appraised at every stage.' Two further review hearings were set for June 26th and August 1st. Mr Donaldson, the long-standing MP for Lagan Valley, resigned as DUP leader and was suspended from the party after he was arrested and charged in March 2024. Weeks before his arrest, he had led the DUP back into Stormont after a two-year boycott of the Northern powersharing institutions. The then deputy leader, Gavin Robinson, was appointed his successor as DUP leader.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Canon Patrick McEntee on trial accused of abusing boys in school
A County Tyrone priest has gone on trial on historical indecent assault charges against five young Patrick McEntee, 70, from Esker Road, Dromore, faces a total of nine counts of indecent assault dating back to the late McEntee, who was a teacher at St Michael's College in Enniskillen, has denied all the prosecution told Dungannon Crown Court that during the late 1970s and into the 1980s, Canon McEntee abused young boys who were pupils at the school. It was alleged that the priest took the boys, who were aged between 11 and 17, into his private quarters where some of the boys were made to sit on his knee or touched jury was told that it would have to decide if the priest's action "was pastoral care or sexual deviance".He is charged with four counts of indecent assault on one male between 1988 and is also a single count of indecently assaulting a second male between 1980 and are a further four counts of indecent assault against three males that allegedly occurred between 1978 and 1987. Accused 'categorically denied the allegations' The court heard that during a police interview Canon McEntee denied ever having touched boys in the way described, saying the allegation was "outrageous".During his second police interview Canon McEntee provided a written statement saying he "categorically denied the allegations" and then refused to answer police court heard that some of the witness testimony would come in the form of video from County Monaghan, Canon McEntee taught religious studies at St Michael's and was the college president from 1994 until has been a priest for more than 45 years and has been the parish priest of St Davog's in Dromore since March 2023, the Diocese of Clogher announced he had been granted a leave of absence while an alleged safeguarding issue was McEntee is on continuing bail of £500 and banned from any contact with the complainants and any person aged under 16.
Irish Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Fresh date set for trial of Jeffrey Donaldson on sex offence charges
A fresh date for the trial of the former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Eleanor on sex offence charges has been set for November. Newry Crown Court heard on Friday that Ms Donaldson remains unwell, and it is not clear whether she will be fit to stand trial. Judge Paul Ramsey set the trial for November 3rd to give all parties a date to work towards, he said. Mr Donaldson (62) and with an address in Dromore, Co Down, has previously pleaded not guilty to 18 offences – one count of rape, four of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 of indecent assault on a female, on dates between 1987 and 2008. READ MORE Mrs Donaldson (58) of the same address, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of aiding and abetting in connection with the charges faced by her husband. Their trial had been scheduled for March but was postponed days before it was due to begin because of Ms Donaldson's ill-health. Mr and Ms Donaldson were not in court on Friday, as neither defendant was required to attend the brief hearing. Defence barrister Ian Turkington KC said he was 'not in a position' to put medical evidence before the court on whether or not Ms Donaldson would be fit to stand trial in November. He told the court Ms Donaldson 'remains unwell' and he had hoped to provide documentary evidence of this at Friday's hearing. She is under the care and treatment of a consultant psychiatrist, the court heard. He said the office of Ms Donaldson's consultant was contacted on Friday morning and it seemed something had been 'committed something to paper' but 'a letter was dictated but not signed off.' The barrister said he expected to receive this 'within days' and would provide it to the court as soon as it arrived. Mr Turkington also said a consultant psychiatrist had been engaged who could give an expert opinion on Ms Donaldson's fitness to stand trial, and an appointment was scheduled for July, though there was the possibility of an earlier cancellation. A request from prosecution barrister Fiona O'Kane for a review date to monitor progress was granted by Judge Ramsey and set for June 5th. Mr Donaldson, who was MP for Lagan Valley, resigned as DUP leader and was suspended from the party after he was arrested and charged in March 2024. Weeks before his arrest, he had led the DUP back into Stormont after a two-year boycott of the Northern powersharing institutions. The then deputy leader, Gavin Robinson, was appointed his successor as DUP leader.
