Jeffrey Donaldson: Police acquired grievance resulting in ex-DUP chief being charged with sexual offences in early March | Politics Information

Police in Northern Eire have stated they acquired a grievance that led to the arrest of former DUP chief Sir Jeffrey Donaldson over allegations of historic sexual offences in early March.

Donaldson resigned over the allegations on Friday. It’s understood he will likely be “strenuously contesting” all expenses towards him.

The Police Service of Northern Eire (PSNI) launched a press release to finish “unhelpful hypothesis” in regards to the case. The power stated it “instantly commenced an investigation into this matter” after receiving the grievance.

Donaldson was arrested and charged on Thursday 28 March. A 57-year-old girl was additionally charged with aiding and abetting offences in relation to the identical grievance.

“We’re once more reminding members of the general public and media retailers that hypothesis is unhelpful and on this case inaccurate and should finally have a destructive impression on a legal justice course of,” the power stated on Sunday.

Donaldson led the Democratic Unionist Get together since 2021 and has been the MP for Lagan Valley since 1997.

The 61-year-old will seem in courtroom in Newry, Co Down, on 24 April.

He has been suspended by the occasion however it’s understood he stays an MP.

On Saturday, First Minister Michelle O’Neill stated there’s no menace to Northern Eire’s power-sharing settlement amid the political fallout.

Sinn Fein vice chairman Ms O’Neill advised Sky Information she has approached the leaders of the three different events within the ministerial govt in Belfast to make sure “cohesion”.

The deal that restored energy sharing earlier this 12 months hinged on the backing of Donaldson.

Learn extra:
Who’s Sir Jeffrey Donaldson?
What’s energy sharing and why is the system used?

On Sunday Ms O’Neill stated “now greater than ever, what we have to see is cohesion”.

“My precedence as first minister is to supply that stability, to work with all the opposite occasion leaders, all those that type our govt,” she stated in Dublin.

“It is actually actually vital now that we knuckle down.”