Stormont’s deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has described former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson as a “master liar” who had “betrayed” her and those who worked for him, adding that she saw nothing during their 20-year association that made her think he was dangerous.
Little-Pengelly’s Reaction to Donaldson’s Conviction
Speaking to UTV on Friday, Ms Little-Pengelly, who was co-opted to replace Donaldson as MLA for Lagan Valley in 2022, said she felt “deeply betrayed” and “sickened” by his actions. She stated that the first she knew of his behaviour was when he was arrested.
“I have just been so deeply sickened and repulsed by what has come out, I think everybody has, in terms of what Jeffrey Donaldson has done,” she said. “As somebody who knew Jeffrey Donaldson, who’d worked with Jeffrey Donaldson for a significant period of time over 20 years, nothing – nothing in the entire time that I knew Jeffrey Donaldson up until his arrest – I didn’t see anything that I could give me any rise for concern in terms of him being a sexual offender, of him being a paedophile.”
Claims of Prior Knowledge Addressed
Her comments come after questions were raised about what knowledge existed within the DUP and political circles regarding Donaldson’s behaviour. She was asked about claims published in the Belfast Telegraph this week that she had told a woman in 2020 that Donaldson was a danger.
“I can’t speak for this woman. I can’t explain what she was thinking whenever she said that, these are not my words,” Ms Little-Pengelly said. “I seen absolutely nothing, witnessed nothing at that time, that gave me any cause of concern. I was not told anything about Jeffrey Donaldson that gave me any cause of concern. In 2020, I did not believe that Jeffrey Donaldson was a danger to anyone. And if I had thought that he was a danger to anyone, not only would I have told people, I would not have been friendly with Jeffrey Donaldson.”
She added that she has ongoing contact with the woman and has asked her for an explanation, but the woman could not provide one, leaving Ms Little-Pengelly to speculate that the comment may have been taken out of context or misunderstood.
Impact on Victims and Colleagues
Ms Little-Pengelly emphasised that Donaldson’s victims should always be prioritised, but she feels “really sick” uttering his name and said those who worked with him feel “let down”.
“It just is so shocking to me that you can know somebody for such a sustained period of time, and you can look that person in the face, and that person has been a monster, an appalling person that has carried out appalling things, and that you don’t see that, and people don’t see that, and it has like it’s really shaken me to my core,” she said. “And then, you add on to that any suggestion whatsoever that, for example, I would have known about any of these activities at that time or ever, it just utterly repulses me.”
Donaldson’s Conviction and Ongoing Reviews
Former DUP leader Donaldson was last month convicted at Newry Crown Court of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children. On Friday, the Northern Ireland Assembly began its review into alleged abuse or inappropriate behaviour associated with Donaldson in Stormont. Earlier this week, the DUP revealed details of an independent review it has commissioned to establish what was known within the party about Donaldson’s conduct.
