In a shocking expose, BBC Spotlight has unveiled the hidden life of Jeffrey Donaldson, the former MP recently convicted on 18 counts of sexual abuse, including one of rape. This revelation, aired on Friday, 26 June, lays bare a life steeped in deceit, betrayal, and reckless behaviour away from the public eye.
The programme details the harrowing accounts of victims A and B, who bravely testified against Donaldson, leading to his conviction. Investigative journalist Mandy McAuley unravels the threads of Donaldson’s secret life, which included extramarital affairs and visits to a notorious sauna in London.
Former North Antrim MP Ian Paisley recounted a particularly disturbing incident from a trade mission where he witnessed Donaldson excessively intoxicated. “He got blind drunk to the point he projectile vomited on the Mayor of Beijing,” Paisley revealed.
Jim Wells, a former DUP MLA, shared his own experience during a trip to South Africa in late 2012. “He and I are in Namibia, meeting a political party, and the tribal chief came in all bluster and said, ‘Oh, my friend, Jeffrey Donaldson, lovely to see you. Open the bar, the drinks are on me.’ I thought to myself, Jeffrey wouldn’t behave like that in his constituency.”
Norman Baxter, a retired Chief Superintendent, also spoke candidly about Donaldson’s behaviour at an RUC exhibition in Westminster. Baxter noted, “When we were in Westminster Hall we were looking at some of the plaques on the floor. The door opened and I looked up. and Jeffrey Donaldson was coming out of the room the reception was being held in and he came down the steps carrying two bottles of wine. As he walked he was swinging his arms and at one point he put a bottle of wine up and took a drink.”
He recalled later being at another event on a terrace at Westminster when he saw Donaldson again. “So as we walked towards this group, I saw Jeffrey Donaldson standing. He still had the two bottles of wine in his hands, but on this occasion he had a young lady on either side of him with his arm around him.”
The programme also revisited a March 2008 incident in Washington DC, where Donaldson, then a junior minister, was observed “falling over drunk” and being “held up by aides.”
Later Donaldson was observed falling into a female MLA’s lap who was so ‘disgusted’ by his behaviour, she left immediately.
Ian Paisley corroborated this account, stating, “I saw Jeffrey blindingly drunk trying to kiss her… I said to people, get that man out of here before he does himself any more damage.”
In a startling 2006 incident, two senior PSNI detectives witnessed Donaldson entering a sauna known for catering to gay men. Tim Hanley, former head of the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch, confirmed, “I was 100% sure Donaldson entered the building.”
The fallout from Donaldson’s conviction has raised serious questions about his political colleagues in the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). During an earlier expenses scandal, it was revealed that he claimed for 68 pay-to-view movies on hotel bills, some allegedly of an “adult nature.” When questioned, Donaldson stated, “I did not at any time watch a movie that was adult in nature.”
Ian Paisley disclosed that he had been made aware of an alleged victim of Donaldson back in 2021, during the DUP leadership contest. “She said, ‘Jeffrey Donaldson exploited me, that man used me,’” he recounted. Although the victim did not wish to file a formal complaint, Paisley conveyed her concerns to Edwin Poots, who acknowledged, “We observed at all times the wishes of the young woman.”
TUV leader Jim Alister echoed the need for accountability, stating, “If one senior DUP MP had knowledge of Donaldson’s activities, it was likely known to many. The DUP has serious questions to answer.”
In response, the DUP issued a statement expressing shock at the allegations and maintaining that they had no prior knowledge of Donaldson’s alleged misconduct: “At no time did the party receive any complaints internally or externally about inappropriate and/or criminal behaviour by Jeffrey Donaldson.”
The full programme, ‘Spotlight: Politician, Predator & Paedophile,’ is available on BBC iPlayer for those wishing to delve deeper into this disturbing story.
