Jailed former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson being investigated over alleged rape inside Parliament

London police are investigating an allegation that Jeffrey Donaldson, the former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, raped a woman inside the Houses of Parliament in 2016. The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Wednesday that it received a report regarding the incident on Tuesday, October 13. The referral came from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which had interviewed the complainant. Because the alleged crime occurred in London, jurisdiction fell to the Met. A spokesperson stated that the investigation is in its early stages and that no arrests have been made. The force noted that the allegation involves one victim who is currently receiving support from specialist officers. In accordance with English legal practice, the police did not name the suspect in their public statement, identifying him only as a man now aged 63. Donaldson, who is currently serving a prison sentence, was the leader of the DUP from 2021 until 2024. He represented the Lagan Valley constituency in the British House of Commons for nearly 40 years, having held the seat since 1997. His recent legal troubles stem from a separate series of charges related to historical child sex offences. Last week, a court sentenced him to 15 years in prison for 18 counts of sexual offences committed against two female victims between 1985 and 2008. The convictions include one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault, and four counts of gross indecency. The victims were between the approximate ages of seven and 13 at the time of the attacks. Donaldson is scheduled to serve half of his sentence behind bars and the remainder on licence, qualifying for an automatic 50 percent remission. His legal team has lodged papers for an appeal against the convictions. The current allegation concerns an incident that allegedly took place in 2016 within the DUP’s parliamentary offices. The Belfast Telegraph first reported the claim in July, detailing an account from a woman from Northern Ireland. According to the newspaper, Donaldson invited the woman on a tour of the Commons chamber and introduced her to several high-profile political figures. He subsequently took her to dinner in the MPs’ dining room before bringing her into the party’s offices. The woman alleged that Donaldson attempted to get her to drink vodka shots in his office. Following this, she claimed he tried to kiss her and placed his hand up her skirt. While the initial reports focused on sexual assault, the BBC revealed this week that the same woman has also alleged that Donaldson raped her. This escalation in the severity of the accusation prompted the transfer of the case to London authorities. Additional details emerged regarding the interaction between the two men prior to the alleged assault. The Belfast Telegraph reported that the woman received a photograph of Donaldson during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. The image showed a Snapchat filter applied to his face, accompanied by a caption reading: “Ready to face the world as soon as this isolation lark is over.” The timing of this exchange suggests contact continued between the parties well after the 2016 incident. Concerns regarding Donaldson’s conduct in London were raised earlier this year in a BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight documentary. A former senior detective from the PSNI told the program that he had observed Donaldson drinking heavily inside the Houses of Parliament. Two other former senior detectives reported seeing him enter a gay sauna located near Parliament in 2006. That same year, Donaldson publicly described homosexuality as sinful. These observations contributed to a broader scrutiny of his behavior during his tenure as an elected official. Donaldson’s fall from grace accelerated following his arrest for the child sex offences in 2024. Prior to his conviction, he had been awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 2016 for his services to politics. Following his guilty verdict in June, the honor was stripped from him. He was also removed from the Privy Council. The new rape allegation adds another layer to the criminal proceedings surrounding the former politician. The Metropolitan Police emphasized that their inquiry remains active, with specialist officers continuing to support the victim. No further information has been released regarding the specific evidence gathered so far or the timeline for potential charges. The case highlights the complex jurisdictional procedures required when crimes involving politicians cross regional boundaries within the United Kingdom. The focus of the investigation remains on establishing whether the acts alleged in 2016 constitute the serious offense of rape under current law.