| With May Day and the start of summer near, it has been a changeable but often sunny week in Northern Ireland. The biggest story of the week, indeed one of the biggest Northern Ireland stories I have reported on, was the court appearance of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife on Wednesday. I was one of 13 journalists inside the courtroom, which I describe here. The chaotic scenes outside Newry Magistrate's Court were appalling, something I examine in my column this morning. A man has been arrested for spitting on a police officer in those scenes outside the court. And the attorney general has warned people against commentating on the criminal case or sharing video clips, which could result in them being jailed. The fallout from the so-called Donaldson Deal, named after Sir Jeffrey, to return Stormont continues. Anne Widdecombe spoke at a TUV - Reform UK event against the Irish Sea border in Dromore Co Down last night. And the DUP's policy director has quit over the party's support for the deal. Meanwhile Gerry Kelly of Sinn Fein has dropped his libel action against the News Letter columnist Ruth Dudley Edwards for claiming he shot a prison officer in the Maze escape, something she plans to write about in her weekly column on Tuesday. In biking, Michael Sweeney edged a Supersport invitation race at the Cemcor Cookstown 100 after Michael Dunlop crashed out
I will have more sports stories in my newsletter to you all tomorrow.
Enjoy your Saturday reading, Ben | 