The BelTel

Jeffrey Donaldson has denied raping a seven-year-old child, under cross-examination, saying “it simply didn’t happen”. The former MP spent Thursday on the witness stand in Newry Crown Court. During the questioning, he admitted having an affair. Mr Donaldson is accused of rape and several counts of gross indecency and of indecent assault. The sixty-three-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the 18 alleged offences.

Allison Morris is covering the trial for the Belfast Telegraph.
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Violence sparked by a knife attack in Belfast continues. A Sudanese man has been charged over that incident. Twelve police officers have been injured as they confront rioters and attempts to target minorities. The PSNI deployed a water cannon in Newtownabbey as they were pelted with bricks. Meanwhile a health trusts says it is ‘horrified’ after a nurse ‘with different skin colour’ was chased into hospital by masked men.

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Kevin Scott.
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Northern Ireland has seen serious race riots for the third year in a row. Masked men staged violent protests in number of areas, but the trouble was concentrated in the greater Belfast area, with homes set alight off the Crumlin Road and in east Belfast.

A Glider bus was set alight on the Newtownards Road and a police car was burned in Portadown.

The disorder followed an attempted murder involving a knife in north Belfast on Monday night.

A 30-year-old Sudanese man has been charged.

The Belfast Telegraph’s Visuals Editor Kevin Scott was on the ground in Belfast and Liam Tunney was in court.
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Eleanor Donaldson “met with a blank wall” when asking her husband Jeffrey about an incident with an alleged abuse – a jury has heard. Eleanor Donaldson also accused her husband of infidelity during police interviews.

And Jeffrey Donaldson told police a letter sent to one of his alleged victims had nothing “to do with any allegation or any action involving sexual abuse”. His trial over alleged sexual offences is continuing in Newry Crown Court.

The 63-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 18 charges, including one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency. His wife Eleanor Donaldson faces five related charges including aiding and abetting – she is facing a trial of the facts due to her mental health issues.

Allison Morris is covering the trial.
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A man believed by police to be Sudanese has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a violent incident involving a knife in north Belfast.
The attack, which has been declared a ‘critical incident’, happened in Kinnaird Avenue shortly after 10.30 PM last night. The victim - a man in his 40s - is in hospital in a serious condition. A video of the attack has shocked and horrified the public in Northern Ireland.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labeled the incident as “sickening”.
A major police investigation is ongoing.
Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph Visuals editor Kevin Scott
This episode was recorded at 12PM on Tuesday 9 June.
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