Alpha Media Journalist. Covering County Armagh & County Down @LJMU Graduate. All opinions expressed are my own. Writing for @NewryDemo and @CoDownOutlook
Eleanor Donaldson has been ruled unfit to stand trial and will instead face a “trial of facts”, where a jury decides if she committed the alleged offences but cannot convict her. Jeffrey Donaldson denies 18 charges and faces trial in Newry from Tuesday.
🚨🔥BREAKING: Police car set on fire in Portadown as disorder breaks out across Northern Ireland
Numerous protests have been taking place.
Chief Reporter @jamesgould23 understands the incident happened within the last half hour.
Police and political leaders are appealing for calm.
NEW: Jurors in the Jeffrey Donaldson trial are tomorrow expected to hear a pre-recorded police interview from one of the complainants in the case for the first time.
Donaldson denies 18 charges including rape, gross indecency and indecent assault.
https://t.co/ozGVeutGeC
Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s trial has been postponed until this afternoon following legal discussions at court. Proceedings were due to begin on Wednesday morning but were delayed until after lunch.
A jury has been sworn in at Newry Crown Court in the trial of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, who denies charges including rape and indecent assault. The case is expected to last 3-4 weeks and begins fully tomorrow morning.
https://t.co/jgOxWaGhYl
Jury selection is under way at Newry Crown Court in the trial of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
The 63-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged historical sexual offences.
Proceedings began earlier this morning.
Police are advising motorists of delays on the Ballagh Road between Kilkeel and Newcastle near Bloody Bridge due to parked cars causing an obstruction.
Drivers are being urged to park responsibly and avoid blocking the roadway. Officers remain in the area+ action may be taken.
Police are appealing for information after a woman was assaulted during a burglary in Bessbrook in the early hours of Monday morning.Two masked men reportedly entered a house in College Square East before attacking the occupant and threatening her with a knife.
Ref: 142 25/05/26
Driver and passenger seriously injured in single-vehicle crash in Hilltown, Co Down. The collision happened on the Newry Rd around 9.45pm on Sunday. Both were taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. PSNI are appealing for witnesses or dash cam footage.
Police attended the scene of a sudden death in Castlewellan Forest Park in the early hours of Friday following a search operation for a high-risk missing person involving PSNI and Community Rescue Service volunteers.
The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Police are attending the scene after a body was discovered on a beach in the Moor Road area of Kilkeel, Co Down, this morning. Cordons remain in place and the public is being asked to avoid the area. The PSNI investigation is ongoing.
Plans to develop a major new multi-sport facility at St Mark’s High School, Warrenpoint, have received a positive response from the local community following a public consultation event hosted by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council last week.
A farming event in Kilkeel that was cancelled amid venue controversy still drew a huge turnout this week, with organisers saying the community “came together despite the setback”. Full story in this week’s County Down Outlook.
This week’s front page of The County Down Outlook leads with the continuing controversy over the proposed Kilkeel cinema development, with DUP councillor Henry Reilly condemning the decision as “unfair”.