Eleanor Donaldson to appeal against trial of the facts verdict

Eleanor Donaldson, the wife of disgraced former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, is to appeal against a jury verdict that she aided and abetted her husband’s offending.The Northern Ireland Courts Service confirmed on Thursday that an application for leave to appeal had been lodged by her legal team.Ex-MP Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, was convicted at Newry Crown Court earlier this year of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children.The offences were committed between 1985 and 2008.Eleanor Donaldson had faced a trial of the facts at the same time, after she was found unfit to participate in a conventional trial on mental health grounds.Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sex offences earlier this year (Liam McBurney/PA)PA WireThe jury found she had done the acts in relation to a number of charges of aiding and abetting Jeffrey Donaldson’s crimes, but she could not be found guilty or sent to prison.She did not attend the court proceedings but was represented by a legal team.The court service said no date has yet been listed for the appeal.Jeffrey Donaldson is also appealing against the jury verdicts against him.The sentencing process for the Donaldsons will begin with submissions to take place later this month.Eleanor Donaldson could be dealt with by a treatment order or given an absolute discharge.It emerged earlier on Thursday that two Stormont ministers are set to launch a joint independent review of the trials of the facts mechanism.