Emma Little-Pengelly denies knowing about Donaldson wrongdoing

Emma Little-Pengelly has broken her silence to deny knowing anything about Jeffrey Donaldson's wrongdoing.

She said claims from one woman that she once described the disgraced paedophile as a "danger," were not her words.

In an interview with UTV, the deputy First Minister said she "absolutely" did not see any inappropriate behaviour by the former DUP leader.

"I feel really sick even saying his name because of that betrayal," Emma Little-Pengelly said.

Watch Tracey Magee's interview with Emma Little-Pengelly in full.

She said that the image the public saw of Donaldson was the same she saw behind the scenes.

"I saw nothing that was a cause for concern," she told UTV.

Last month Donaldson was convicted at Newry Crown Court of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to abuse of two women when they were children.

Ms Little-Pengelly said she is "deeply sickened and repulsed by what has come out".

She said: "I did not know that this man was a sexual predator.  I did not know that this man was a predator towards children. It is absolutely against every value that I would have if I'd known that and would not have gone to the police, would not have immediately severed all and any contact with this person."

Emma Little-Pengelly was co-opted to Donaldson's MLA chair in Lagan Valley and was appointed by him as deputy First Minster.

She said there was nothing over the 20-year period she knew the politician which hinted at his double life.

"Up until his arrest, I didn't see anything that I would have given me any rise for concern in terms of him being a sexual offender, of him being a paedophile," Ms Little-Pengelly said.

"I was not told anything by anybody that would have given me any sense of that whatsoever. So this has been absolutely shocking."

Earlier this week, the Belfast Telegraph reported that a young girl that Ian Paisley had previously described in a text exchange was a victim of Donaldson's. He was not referring to the two victims of Donaldson's sex abuse trial.

The news organisation reported that Emma Little-Pengelly told her that Jeffrey Donaldson was a "danger" to her. 

Emma Little-Pengelly said: "I have looked back over that period of time. I cannot be clearer.  Look, I can't speak for this woman.  I can't explain what she was thinking whenever she said that. 

"These are not my words but what I can say absolutely clearly... absolutely clearly is I seen absolutely nothing. 

"I 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. 

"So 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, but I would not have been friendly with Jeffrey Donaldson."

The Northern Ireland Assembly has begun a review into alleged abuse or inappropriate behaviour associated with Jeffrey Donaldson in Stormont.

Former DUP leader Donaldson was last month convicted at Newry Crown Court of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to abuse of two women when they were children.

On June 29, Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots asked the clerk and chief executive of the Assembly to conduct a review into any allegations of “any abuse or inappropriate behaviour by Jeffrey Donaldson” at Parliament Buildings in Belfast.

The Assembly announced on Friday that it had put in place arrangements to conduct the review.

It will be conducted by the director of parliamentary services (senior Assembly safeguarding officer), guided by experts in trauma-informed practices, and report directly to the clerk and chief executive.

The review will allow any member or former member, as well as staff and other users of the Parliament Buildings, to bring forward any incidents of abuse they directly experienced.

It is to establish if the Assembly Commission holds any information about abuse or inappropriate behaviour while Donaldson was a member of the Assembly from 2003 to 2010, or while he was a visitor to Parliament Buildings as an MP.

It will be carried out from July 10 until August 21, with a report due by August 28.

The review is also designed to draw the clerk’s attention to any matters that “may require further appropriate investigation or referral to the PSNI or other statutory agencies”.

Earlier, it was confirmed that Donaldson has been removed from the Privy Council, a body of senior advisers to the King.

In a statement from the clerk of the Privy Council, it was confirmed that Donaldson had asked for his name to be removed from the list of members last month.

The clerk said: “Now, therefore, by and with the advice of His Majesty’s Privy Council, it is hereby ordered that the name of the said Jeffrey Donaldson be removed from the list of Members of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.”

Donaldson has also moved to renounce his knighthood – a process which can occur through a recommendation of the Forfeiture Committee, convened under the Cabinet Office.

The body’s recommendations for forfeiture are submitted through the Prime Minister to the King.

Earlier this week, the DUP revealed details of its own “focused, independent review” commissioned to establish what was known within the party about Donaldson’s conduct.

The review will be led by Jim Gamble, a former RUC officer and head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) Centre.

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