Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, testified in his own defense during his ongoing trial on sexual abuse charges.

The 61-year-old politician faces 18 charges related to alleged sexual offenses, including one count of rape. Donaldson has entered not guilty pleas to all charges against him.

Donaldson served as leader of the DUP, Northern Ireland's largest unionist party, before stepping down from the position following the charges being brought against him. The DUP plays a significant role in Northern Ireland politics and has been influential in broader UK political arrangements.

The trial proceedings continue as the prosecution and defense present their cases. The charges span multiple alleged incidents, though specific details of the accusations have not been fully disclosed in open court proceedings.

As a prominent political figure who represented the party in various capacities for decades, Donaldson's case has drawn considerable attention in Northern Ireland and across the UK political landscape.