Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has stated that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had no prior knowledge of the abusive behaviour of former leader Jeffrey Donaldson, who was convicted of 18 sexual offences, including one count of rape, against two women when they were children. Speaking to the Press Association on Friday, Lyons described Donaldson as a 'duplicitous individual' who had 'done depraved and evil things'.
Party Denies Prior Awareness
Lyons emphasised that there was 'no inkling' within the party about Donaldson's propensity for exploitative or abusive conduct prior to his arrest in 2024. He stated: 'This is not something that I was aware of, and many journalists, and many other people that knew him a lot longer than I did, had no inkling about what is being talked about, and what it is that he has done.' He also confirmed that the party did not receive any complaints of a criminal nature against Donaldson, and if they had, those would have been investigated.
Education Minister Paul Givan echoed these sentiments, telling UTV that while there were rumours about Donaldson, these related to adults and were not of a criminal nature. He stressed the importance of differentiating between crimes against children and unsubstantiated rumours.
Reaction to Conviction
On Monday, a jury at Newry Crown Court unanimously found Donaldson, 63, guilty of 18 sexual offences. DUP leader Gavin Robinson expressed shock at his predecessor's 'filthy and vile' actions. Lyons called for a lengthy sentence that reflects the seriousness of the crimes and the trauma inflicted on the victims, who had to endure the trial.
Claims of Jamie Bryson's Influence
Lyons also addressed claims by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, who told the BBC's Nolan programme that he had crafted policy positions for Donaldson and represented him at high-level meetings, including a meeting with Irish government officials in Dublin. Lyons denied that Bryson was acting on behalf of the DUP, stating: 'That was not something that would have been sanctioned... this goes back to one individual, to Jeffrey Donaldson.' He added that Bryson's alleged influence was not something he was aware of and would have come as a shock to many within the party.
Broader Questions and DUP Response
Media reports have raised questions about how much was known within the DUP about Donaldson's conduct. BBC Spotlight reported that some senior DUP figures were aware of another woman who had raised concerns about Donaldson's behaviour but did not wish to make a formal complaint. Additionally, Spotlight reported that two senior PSNI officers observed Donaldson entering a sauna in London that marketed itself as a meeting place for gay men in 2006, despite Donaldson referring to homosexuality as 'sinful' in the same year.
A DUP spokesperson stated: 'The party has no knowledge of these issues raised and is shocked to learn of these alleged incidents highlighted. The Democratic Unionist Party has well established processes for dealing with complaints and standards. At no time did the party receive any complaints internally or externally about inappropriate and/or criminal behaviour by Jeffrey Donaldson.' Donaldson's legal representatives have been approached for comment.
