Eleanor Donaldson “did nothing” when told of an allegation of abuse by her husband, Jeffrey Donaldson, a court has heard.

The claim from one of the alleged victims came during week two of the former DUP leader’s trial.

63-year-old Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency.

Donaldson’s wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending.

The 60-year-old is facing a trial of the facts, not a criminal trial, after judge Paul Ramsey ruled her unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds.

Allison Morris was in court for day four of evidence.

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Sixty years after being jailed with Ian Paisley, a veteran Free Presbyterian minister is daring his clerical colleagues to expel him. Now, the Rev Ivan Foster – himself a former DUP Assemblyman – is facing discipline for criticising Free Presbyterian ministers. A second cleric, the Rev David Linden, is also facing disciplinary measures. 83-year-old Rev Foster has publicly accused the church of breaking its own rules.

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sam McBride.

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Jeffrey Donaldson’s wife planted a listening device in his car after becoming suspicious he was having affair with a constituent, a court in Newry has been told. The 63-year-old former MP in on trial in relation to 18 alleged historical sex offence charges, dating from 1985 to 2008 – including a charge of rape. He denies all of the charges against him.

His wife Eleanor Donaldson, of Dublinhill Road, Dromore in Co Down, is charged with aiding and abetting. She denies the charges. She will not be in court and is facing a trial of the facts as she has been ruled medically unfit to stand trial.

Allison Morris was in court.

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