Key facts
- Current and former DUP members knew of allegations against former leader Jeffrey Donaldson.
- The DUP stated information about Donaldson was not reported through appropriate channels.
- Donaldson was convicted of 18 sexual offenses against children on June 22.
- New allegations include visiting a gay sauna and drunken behavior on foreign trips.
- Two senior DUP members were reportedly informed of exploitation allegations five years ago.
- The DUP has announced an independent review into its handling of information.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has acknowledged that current and former party members were aware of allegations concerning its former leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, but failed to report them through official channels. DUP leader Gavin Robinson stated on Monday that information about Donaldson was not shared appropriately, preventing the party from formally responding.
This admission comes a week after Donaldson, 63, was convicted of 18 sexual offenses, including rape, against two children by a jury at Newry crown court on June 22. He is scheduled for sentencing in September and is expected to appeal, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
Amidst the fallout from the conviction, new claims about Donaldson's conduct have surfaced. These include allegations of sexually pestering women, visiting a gay sauna despite publicly denouncing homosexuality, and drunken behavior on foreign trips, such as vomiting over the mayor of Beijing while professing to be a teetotaller.
The DUP, which suspended Donaldson upon his charging in 2024, faces significant political damage as questions mount over what the party knew and when regarding other misconduct. The party has announced an independent review into its handling of information about Donaldson, but other political parties at Stormont have expressed skepticism regarding its credibility and transparency. Sorcha Eastwood, an Alliance MP, criticized the DUP's plan to hire investigators for allegations against their former leader, stating it is "not tenable."
Commentators have described this as potentially the DUP's most severe crisis. Wallace Thompson, a founding member, noted that the party's historical emphasis on moral rectitude amplifies the impact, likening it to a "nuclear explosion in political terms."
BBC Spotlight reported that five years ago, two senior DUP members were informed of allegations by a young woman who claimed she had been "exploited" by Donaldson. Former North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jr. told the program that he relayed the woman's claim to Edwin Poots, who was then DUP leader, as the woman did not wish to make a formal complaint. Poots stated that they "observed at all times the wishes of the young woman."
Paisley Jr. also recounted instances of Donaldson's excessive drinking on overseas trips, including an incident in New York where he allegedly attempted to kiss a female DUP assembly member. He further detailed an occasion on a trade mission where Donaldson became so intoxicated that he "projectile vomited over the mayor of Beijing."
Spotlight also reported that in 2006, two senior police officers allegedly observed Donaldson entering a London sauna that catered to gay men, despite his public condemnations of homosexuality.
Neither Donaldson nor his legal representatives have responded to these latest claims. Robinson indicated that while the DUP was not formally notified of these specific allegations, it is evident that some individual members possessed information they did not disclose. He stated the review aims to ascertain if any members still hold undisclosed information, emphasizing his commitment to setting high standards and ensuring the party does not "turn a blind eye."