“Almost like a bomb went off”, that’s it was like, a witness told Newry Crown Court, when one of Jeffrey Donaldson’s alleged victims confided in her.
Claire Selfridge was giving evidence on the eighth day of the trial.
The jury also heard a claim that Jeffrey Donaldson asked one of the complainants to forgive him.
The former DUP leader is accused of rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault. The 63-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the 18 alleged offences.
The charges span a period between 1985 and 2008 involving two alleged victims.
Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending.
She is facing a trial of the facts.
Kurtis Reid reports.
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