The DUP thread

[David McKeown]

How come she was all fine before this came about, same with Peter Robinson wife, i just cant see Joe Bloggs not been took to trial for this. Hell if u a borderline psycopath u still be seeing a trial.

How do we know she was fine?  The process she has gone through is the exact same process any defendant would have gone through if there were concerns over their fitness to give instructions.

Would there be many examples of working class people going down this path? That's ultimately what people will see this as. Someone of status getting what they would deem as preferential treatment.

Absolutely there's plenty at an estimate of say between 5 and 10% of cases. They just don't tend to attract press coverage.

I have 6 such cases at the moment

All with the same process as Lady Donaldson went through with many of the same experts and similar concerns.

I understand the optics are bad. I think that's a combination of a number of factors. Poor reporting, social media, human nature, a lack of education on actual procedures etc to name just a few of those.

David, you're going to be tortured with questions and queries during this trial. 

Maybe take a holiday for a week or two...without your phone.

I actually am on holiday from next Thursday but always happy to help to the extent I can.

[SaffronSports]

How come she was all fine before this came about, same with Peter Robinson wife, i just cant see Joe Bloggs not been took to trial for this. Hell if u a borderline psycopath u still be seeing a trial.

How do we know she was fine?  The process she has gone through is the exact same process any defendant would have gone through if there were concerns over their fitness to give instructions.

Would there be many examples of working class people going down this path? That's ultimately what people will see this as. Someone of status getting what they would deem as preferential treatment.

Absolutely there's plenty at an estimate of say between 5 and 10% of cases. They just don't tend to attract press coverage.

I have 6 such cases at the moment

All with the same process as Lady Donaldson went through with many of the same experts and similar concerns.

I understand the optics are bad. I think that's a combination of a number of factors. Poor reporting, social media, human nature, a lack of education on actual procedures etc to name just a few of those.

Even then 5% or 10% would be very low I would imagine if you put that up against the percentage of people from the working classes going through the courts.

[David McKeown]

How come she was all fine before this came about, same with Peter Robinson wife, i just cant see Joe Bloggs not been took to trial for this. Hell if u a borderline psycopath u still be seeing a trial.

How do we know she was fine?  The process she has gone through is the exact same process any defendant would have gone through if there were concerns over their fitness to give instructions.

Would there be many examples of working class people going down this path? That's ultimately what people will see this as. Someone of status getting what they would deem as preferential treatment.

Absolutely there's plenty at an estimate of say between 5 and 10% of cases. They just don't tend to attract press coverage.

I have 6 such cases at the moment

All with the same process as Lady Donaldson went through with many of the same experts and similar concerns.

I understand the optics are bad. I think that's a combination of a number of factors. Poor reporting, social media, human nature, a lack of education on actual procedures etc to name just a few of those.

Even then 5% or 10% would be very low I would imagine if you put that up against the percentage of people from the working classes going through the courts.

The way it works is as experienced lawyers we tend to have a fair idea when someone is borderline fit to give instructions. We also have a knowledge of the legal test.

Talking personally if I had any concerns I'd direct reports immediately and then see what the experts think. I'd say my colleagues would be the same. I've had two cases ever that I can recall where my solicitors who are also highly experienced have disagreed but by and large we are usually in agreement. So we know with a high degree of accuracy when fitness is an issue.

As I say it's an issue in I'd approximate anywhere between 5 and 10 % of cases. That's still a lot of people.

As a result of how few properly qualified experts there are in the area the process can take between 9 months and 2 years. Lady Donaldson's process took exactly how long I would have expected it to take had she been a legally aided working class individual.

[Milltown Row2]

The timing of all the stuff in Belfast has certainly taken the attention away from Newry courts where Jeff can go into court without a mob outside berating him

Seems his missus is throwing him under a bus too, be interesting to see how his defense counter the 18 accounts against him

[Hereiam]

He's a bad **** putting these girls through this

[Mourne Red]

The timing of all the stuff in Belfast has certainly taken the attention away from Newry courts where Jeff can go into court without a mob outside berating him

Seems his missus is throwing him under a bus too, be interesting to see how his defense counter the 18 accounts against him

Been following it on that inside the courtroom Facebook page.

It seems to be the case that JD defence has just been "That didn't happen" or your making it up.
 
As MR said the wife's interviews were quare reading

[playwiththewind1st]

"Eleanor Donaldson claims 'women were throwing themselves' at Jeffrey Donaldson during marriage".

Who would have thought it? Provides a completely new angle to the DUP's "Where's Jeffrey?" question, which they shouted outside the UUP HQ on the Holywood Road years ago.

[brokencrossbar1]

"Eleanor Donaldson claims 'women were throwing themselves' at Jeffrey Donaldson during marriage".

Who would have thought it?

They thought it was Daniel O'Donnell....

[Milltown Row2]

"Eleanor Donaldson claims 'women were throwing themselves' at Jeffrey Donaldson during marriage".

Who would have thought it?

Power brings about attraction for any halfwit, especially those church goers

[playwiththewind1st]

"Eleanor Donaldson claims 'women were throwing themselves' at Jeffrey Donaldson during marriage".

Who would have thought it?

Power brings about attraction for any halfwit, especially those church goers

Whitewell Tabernacle.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Yes I'd say yesterday was nearly the worst day for our Jeffrey as some of the wife's comments were quite damaging I thought. But wasn't headline news he will have been happy with that

[imtommygunn]

There's no coming back for him here regardless.

[brokencrossbar1]

Yes I'd say yesterday was nearly the worst day for our Jeffrey as some of the wife's comments were quite damaging I thought. But wasn't headline news he will have been happy with that

Headline news or not what is happening around the place will have no impact on his case,  if it is going bad against him it's going bad.  The only news he should be concerned about is what happens when the jury is finished its deliberations. I reckon on the read of it so far it doesn't look good

[playwiththewind1st]

There's no coming back for him here regardless.

Still wearing the wee fish badge, every single day when he turns up. God's the only judge he needs.

[Rossfan]

Meanwhile shitebag DUPUDA leader Robinson is calling for the "porous border" to be secured to stop foreigners accessing the 6 from the 26.
Good luck with that ya gobsh1te.