Eleanor Donaldson has been ruled unfit to stand trial alongside her husband, former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, in a historic sexual offences case.

According to reports, the ruling was delivered by Judge Paul Ramsey at Newry Crown Court following a review of medical evidence. The decision on mental health grounds follows the submission of two reports from examining doctor Christine Kennedy, who informed the court that the 60-year-old was not in a suitable state to instruct her legal representatives, follow court proceedings, or provide evidence.

Reports state that because Lady Donaldson has been deemed unfit for a traditional criminal trial due to serious ill-health, she will instead face a "trial of the facts." This specific legal framework allows a jury to evaluate the available evidence to establish whether or not the accused committed the alleged acts, but it cannot culminate in a criminal conviction.

Lady Donaldson continues to deny five charges concerning the aiding and abetting of her husband's alleged offences.

Her husband, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, faces 18 charges—including one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault on a female child, and four counts of gross indecency towards a child—relating to two alleged victims between 1985 and 2008. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The joint trial had faced more than a year of delays linked to Lady Donaldson's ongoing ill-health.

Legal reports indicate that prosecutors have proposed that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s standard criminal trial commence next Tuesday, 26 May, with his wife's trial of facts running concurrently so the court can handle both defendants at the same time. The judge is expected to issue a formal ruling regarding whether the two proceedings will run simultaneously.