The number of historical sexual offences being faced by former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has increased ahead of his next court appearance.
Donaldson, 61, is expected to appear at Newry magistrates court on Wednesday for a preliminary enquiry hearing to establish if there is enough evidence to send him for trial.
Donaldson had faced 11 holding charges brought by police.
An evidence file has since been reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service and he will now face 18 charges: one of rape, four of gross indecency and 13 charges of indecent assault.
The charges, which are believed to relate to two alleged victims, span a time period between 1985 and 2008. The previous holding charges will be withdrawn in court on Wednesday.
His co-accused, his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson, 58, faces charges of aiding and abetting in connection with the alleged offences. The number of charges she faces has increased from four to five.
There was a large media and police presence when the couple made their first appearance at Newry court in April. Wednesday will be the first time they have appeared in court in person since then.
It has already been confirmed that Donaldson, who was the longstanding MP for Lagan Valley, is not running for re-election in the UK General Election this week.
After his arrest and charging in relation to the historical sexual allegations at the end of March, Donaldson resigned as DUP leader and was suspended from the party. The previous deputy leader Gavin Robinson was appointed as his successor.
It is understood that in a letter to DUP party officers at the time, Donaldson made clear that he would be “strenuously contesting” all charges against him.
Weeks prior to his arrest, he had led the DUP back into Stormont after a two-year boycott of the power-sharing institutions.
