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29th March 2024
01:39pm GMT
Jeffrey Donaldson has been charged with historical sexual offences and has quit as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
A 57-year-old woman has also been charged in connection to the alleged offences. The two were reportedly arrested on Thursday morning (28 March) by PSNI detectives and were questioned on Thursday night before being charged.
They are both due to appear before Newry Magistrates Court on 24 April.
In a statement, the DUP said: "The Party Chairman has received a letter from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP confirming that he has been charged with allegations of an historical nature and indicating that he is stepping down as Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party with immediate effect.
"In accordance with the Party Rules, the Party Officers have suspended Mr Donaldson from membership, pending the outcome of a judicial process.
"The Party Officers have this morning unanimously appointed Mr Gavin Robinson MP as the Interim Party Leader."
— DUP (@duponline) March 29, 2024
The PSNI issued a statement this morning which did not disclose the identities of those charged.
Instead it stated that a 61-year-old man had been charged with "non-recent sexual offences" while a 57-year-old woman was also arrested at the same time and had been charged with "aiding and abetting additional offences".
The BBC reports that the DUP met on Friday morning after news of the charges emerged.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson quits as Northern Ireland's DUP leader after being charged with historical sexual offences https://t.co/J4cwcWvwht
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 29, 2024
Donaldson's social media accounts have been deleted.
In a statement to JOE, the PSNI said: “Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland arrested and charged a 61-year-old man for non-recent sexual offences.
“A 57-year-old woman was also arrested and charged at the time for aiding and abetting additional offences.
“Both are due to appear before Newry Magistrates Court on 24 April.
“As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.”
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