DUP leader Gavin Robinson has pledged that a review commissioned by the party into the behaviour of Jeffrey Donaldson will be "unprecedented" in Northern Ireland, but declined to comment on who would lead the independent investigation.
Former DUP leader Donaldson was convicted last week at Newry Crown Court of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children. Subsequent media reports have raised questions about how much was known within the DUP about Donaldson's wider conduct prior to his 2024 arrest over sex abuse allegations.
BBC Spotlight report raises further questions
BBC Spotlight has reported that some senior DUP figures were aware of another woman, not involved in the recent court case, who had raised concerns about Donaldson's behaviour. Questions have also been raised about whether there was an awareness that Donaldson was allegedly engaged in behaviour in his private life that, although legal, was at odds with positions he adopted publicly.
During a press conference at Hillsborough Castle, Mr Robinson was asked to confirm who would lead the review. He said he would provide more information when he was "in a position to do so".
Robinson defends transparency
Mr Robinson added: "As you know, I have been as transparent as possible on this process. And let me remind you, before you hear more detail about this review, it is unprecedented in Northern Ireland political terms. There is no other political party in our history that has ever taken a step like this, and there are many other parties, in even the most recent past, that have had similar issues beside them that hasn't led to as much scrutiny, or at least the willingness to have as much introspection."
He continued: "I don't shy away from the challenges and I will give you the details when I'm in a position to do so."
Robinson acknowledges information within party
Mr Robinson has previously said there were current and former members of the DUP who had information about the behaviour in Donaldson's private life which was not formally shared with the party. He said: "I am not going to answer what the outcome to a review may be before it starts. We have, for a myriad of reasons, for a whole host of reasons and accusations, and some smears, and some politicking along the way too, we have taken the unprecedented step of commissioning a review, so that we can answer these questions."
He added: "Not a reluctance on my part to give you any further detail now. It's actually a sign of our integrity and the importance with which we place on these issues, that we are going to deal with them seriously, sensibly. Bring somebody independent in to do something unprecedented in Northern Ireland political terms."
