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Child safety expert to lead review into DUP and Jeffrey Donaldson

Jayne McCormackPolitical correspondent, BBC News NI
News imageBBC Jim Gamble. He is bald wearing a navy half-zip and light blue shirt.BBC
The DUP said Jim Gamble would conduct an independent focused safeguarding review for the party into Jeffrey Donaldson's time as a member of the party

Jim Gamble, who formally headed up the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, has been commissioned to lead an independent review for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) over Jeffrey Donaldson's actions.

It follows a crisis sparked after the former DUP leader's conviction for child sex offences last month.

Earlier this year, Gamble was appointed to carry out an external review of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland's governance and safeguarding arrangements.

Donaldson was convicted of 18 counts of sex abuse last month, including one count of rape, committed against two women when they were children.

A BBC Spotlight investigation has since revealed that two senior DUP members were made aware of different allegations against Donaldson five years ago, when a young woman said she had been "exploited" by him.

The DUP said Gamble, as part of the iNEQE Safeguarding Group would conduct an Independent Focused Safeguarding Review for the party into Donaldson's time as a member of the party.

In a statement on Thursday, it said the review would establish what, if any, information was known within the party about his conduct, to examine its safeguarding and reporting arrangements, and to make recommendations to ensure good practice for all its members and staff.

"The review will be carried out by a specialist multi-disciplinary team from the iNEQE Safeguarding Group, drawing on their safeguarding, child protection and policing expertise," it added.

"The review will be led by Mr Jim Gamble. The review will be conducted entirely independent of the DUP."

News imagePA Media Gavin Robinson speaking in front of microphones. He has short white hair, wearing a navy blazer, white shirt and light blue tie. Other members of the DUP are standing beside him.PA Media
The DUP previously said it was commissioning an independent review into a "number of issues arising following the conviction of Jeffrey Donaldson"

It went on to state the terms of reference as follows:

  1. Conduct an independent review to establish what (if any) information was known within the DUP concerning allegations of inappropriate conduct relating to safeguarding by Jeffrey Donaldson. This will include who knew, when and from whom they learned it, the form in which it arose (eyewitness, formal complaint, disclosure, concern, rumour or warning), and what action was or was not taken.
  2. Provide an independent and confidential facility for party members to come forward with related information, concerns or experiences relating to Jeffrey Donaldson during his time in the DUP.
  3. Examine and review the DUP's safeguarding processes (including reporting mechanisms) and make recommendations to ensure good practice is followed by all members and staff.
News imageReuters Jeffrey Donaldson. He has short grey hair, wearing glasses, a blue blazer, white shirt, blue and yellow tie, with a fish pin on his lapel.Reuters
Jeffrey Donaldson was convicted of 18 counts of sex abuse last month, including one count of rape, committed against two women when they were children

Full terms of reference will be published by iNEQE when they launch their website for this review.

The party continued that it had "acted immediately" when Donaldson was first charged.

"We believe in the rule of law and that justice must be obtained through our courts. We stand with the victims of his abuse and we salute their bravery and courage for speaking out.

"Regardless of the crime, we will always be on the side of the victim and as a society, we must do everything possible to encourage those who have been abused to come forward to the police and seek justice through our court system."

The party said while it never received any report or complaint regarding improper behaviour or criminal behaviour, it is now clear, beyond doubt, that Donaldson "abused various positions of power over many years from 1985 onwards and covered up his vile and manipulative behaviour".

It concluded that the work of the review has now started and that the party "does not intend to give a running commentary on it whilst it is ongoing respecting the fundamental independent nature of it".