From the press box in the courtroom, Jeffrey Donaldson looks familiar. It is the small gestures; his carriage, his way of walking, his manner as he contemplates proceedings, arms folded, are all instantly recognisable, and are a reminder not only to the journalists among us, but to the wider public just how many times we have watched him before.In a nearly 40-year career in politics, we have seen him on his feet in the House of Commons, rousing his followers at political rallies, or celebrating victory or defeat at election counts. Now, we watch him in Courtroom One of Newry Crown Court. In February 2024, Donaldson was at the height of his political career. The leader of the largest unionist party, the DUP, the Lagan Valley MP had just manoeuvred it – against much opposition – back into the Stormont Assembly after a two-year boycott. When he was arrested the following month, the sense of shock was palpable: “The political earthquake that no one saw coming” was how BBC Radio described the event.That political career evaporated. Donaldson resigned as party leader, was suspended from the party, and did not stand in the UK general election that summer.Now, more than two years later, his trial for sexual offences has begun.He stood in the dock on Wednesday listening intently, head slightly to one side, hands clasped in front of him, flanked by two custody officers as the charges were read.Donaldson is accused of 18 offences in total: one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency with or towards a child, and 13 counts of indecent assault on a female, on dates between 1985 and 2008. He denies the charges.His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, who was not present in court as she has been ruled unfit to stand trial, will face a simultaneous trial of the facts on five counts of aiding and abetting in connection with the charges against her husband. She also denies the offences.In the sweltering heat of the small courtroom, Donaldson made notes as barrister Rosemary Walsh KC outlined the prosecution’s case.The two alleged victims in the case, she said, came forward 2½ years ago and told police about “difficult and traumatic incidents they say happened when they were children”.These include an allegation of rape when one of the two complainants in the case – both of whom have their identities protected by law – said she was at primary school.The jury would hear, the prosecution barrister said, of her fear and how she pretended she was asleep, thinking “please don’t let anything happen”.The jury will hear, said the barrister, of allegations concerning “many other incidents” of inappropriate sexual touching, that he put his “hands down her pants a lot” and would touch her breasts under her top.They will also hear that when the alleged victim was 18, the barrister continued, a church arranged a meeting between her and Jeffrey Donaldson in which she said the defendant “said he wanted to apologise for what had been done in the past” They will hear from the other complainant in the case which will include allegations that Jeffrey Donaldson touched her inappropriately and this was “done quite often”.Other evidence will include interviews from Jeffrey Donaldson and Eleanor Donaldson in which they denied the allegations; the claim Jeffrey Donaldson had been in bed with one of the alleged victims was “unbelievable”, he told police.The trial continues.