Committal hearing for Jeffrey Donaldson historical sex charge case set for July

The 61-year-old MP for Lagan Valley was arrested and charged in relation to historical sexual allegations at the end of March

Jeffrey Donaldson is facing 11 chares including rape and indecent assault (Brian Lawless/PA)

A hearing to establish whether there is sufficient evidence to send former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson to trial over historical sex offences will take place on July 3, a court has heard.

The date for the committal proceedings – known as a preliminary enquiry (PE) – was fixed when the case against Donaldson and his co-accused, his wife Eleanor Donaldson, was briefly mentioned at Newry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.