Donaldson trial told by alleged victim she should have reported abuse claims earlier

One of the 2 alleged victims successful the Sir Jeffrey Donaldson enactment maltreatment trial, who has accused him of raping her erstwhile she was a child, has said she should person reported it to constabulary agelong ago.

The woman, known arsenic Complainant B, was being cross-examined by Sir Jeffrey's lawyer erstwhile she said she blamed herself for the consequent alleged maltreatment of the different complainant successful the case.

"It's my responsibility what happened," she said.

Complainant B is the older of 2 alleged victims who person accused the erstwhile Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) person of intersexual abuse.

Ten of the 18 enactment maltreatment charges Sir Jeffrey denies subordinate to Complainant B, with the offences allegedly committed betwixt 1985 and 1991.

The assemblage astatine Newry Crown Court heard the complainant archetypal disclosed her alleged maltreatment to a pistillate connected to the Christian Family Centre successful Armoy, County Antrim, erstwhile she was successful her teens.

She said she was "embarrassed" and "didn't privation it to beryllium made a happening of astatine the time".

"I was truthful acrophobic of this - of each of this," she said.

She added: "I tried to determination on, to beryllium the bigger person. I tried to not beryllium the victim. I tried to physique a life."

Both complainants successful the enactment maltreatment proceedings reported their allegations to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) successful March 2024.

Sir Jeffrey and his woman Lady Eleanor Donaldson, who faces a proceedings of the facts connected intelligence wellness grounds and is not participating successful proceedings, were arrested aboriginal that period successful their County Down home.

Sir Jeffrey besides denies acts of gross indecency and indecent battle against Complainant A erstwhile she was a child, betwixt 1999 and 2008.

His wife, Lady Donaldson, denies 5 charges related to aiding and abetting.