The DUP thread

[David McKeown]

What a sinister piece of sh*t Jeff and his mrs are.
Doing what they did was bad enough, but making the victims sit through a trial and be ridiculed and accused of being liars while he sat there just makes the crimes even worse.
Jail time is too good for them.
Thank goodness they've been found guilty and I'd like to think there would be some special treatment reserved for them.

I have a question though, maybe for David. The people who facilitated the meeting between JD and one of the girls so he could apologise, are they not in any way guilty? Surely they had a duty of care at the time to the child and should have been bringing it to the attention of the authorities?

I really hope the 2 victims can move on with their lives and find some peace now that this has been resolved.

On this question would these parties not have been supeoned if thats the right word to give evidence on the subject of the meetings.

I understand that they did give evidence of facilitating the meeting but were not party to the actual conversations to a great deal. 

The sentencing will be interesting because it is a huge opportunity for a judge to really put a marker down, ands Paul Ramsey would not be afraid to do so,  but he needs to be careful too.  Given the public profile of the whole thing and the status of Donaldson it will be tough as it has been dragged on for longer than normal due to the wife's health and this will have had an impact on the victims.  COupled with fighting it to the very last will mean that there will be no leniency shown I'd say.

Will also be interesting now if the victims forgo their anonymity and make public statements after the sentencing.

I see some ballbags are already putting it out there who they are on twitter.

Can I ask those in the legal profession, would the jury have known their relationship to the Donaldsons?

Yes they would have the restriction only applies to members of the public

[David McKeown]

Delighted for the 2 Victims and hope this gives them a bit of closure and peace, the pure torture they were put through by both Donaldson's Barristers......accusing them of lying time and time again, pure disgusting.  Obviously the PSNI did great work to get this case passed for Prosecution by PPS.  Just a pity that "Lady" Donaldson was deemed unfit to take the stand.  2 Disgusting, sick individuals .....  This case perhaps might improve the Public's view of the Judiciary System here in the North, which hasn't at times covered itself in glory, but today shows that "Money" and thinking you are "Untouchable" will not always save you.  Irrespective of the time he gets or what happens her, they are finished.  Great work by the Jury in this case also.

I think this post highlights that the issue is perhaps ignorance of the system which individuals then use to blame solicitors/barristers and judges.  I've no idea how we come to the conclusion it was great work by the jury.  The jury are the trier of fact.  Whatever determination they made was the correct one. No idea how this would improve the public view of the judicial system.

On the point of accusing the victims of lying that doesn't come from the barristers particularly the two highly experienced and respected counsel in this case.  It comes from a combination of the instructions received from Jeffry in the case of Kieran Vaughan KC and from the evidence in the case in regards to Ian Turkington.  It also can only be done if there's an evidential basis for doing so (we may not know what that is) and it would have been stopped by the Judge if it were inappropriate.

[dec]

Jim Allister shows what is important to him

https://www.facebook.com/jim.allister.1/posts/pfbid0aGsoVym9fGGs1UvADDKkvB9WWckLgje5vajjy8dGWKYd5DqQWY8DxZTWguD1kK4hl

"Donaldson conviction - for how long was he compromised to the detriment of Unionism?
Statement by TUV leader, Jim Allister KC MP:-
The conviction of Jeffrey Donaldson for multiple sexual offences is truly shocking.
Primarily my thoughts are with his victims, but for whose immense courage and honesty, Donaldson would have continued to play out the role of 'statesman'. Now, he stands exposed as a paedophile.
Donaldson must be stripped of his knighthood forthwith.
However, for unionism, a very chilling and troubling issue arises, namely, how far did his 'troubles' give rise to his sell out on the Protocol?
To me it is inconceivable that the government was unaware of his proclivities and the idea of such being used as leverage is far from fanciful.
His about turn from 'unalterable opposition' to the Protocol to Protocol facilitator was telling. From sharing platforms with me and others in robust opposition, he somersaulted to lying salesmanship of the phoney 'Safeguarding the Union' document. Who could forget his brazen lies that the Irish Sea border was gone?
How did this come about? The fact Donaldson insisted in key meetings with HMG on being unaccompanied by colleagues raises red flags in itself. Was he on a mission of attempted self-preservation in the hope, no matter how deluded, he could stave off the fate that has now befallen him?
Yet, his then deputy, Gavin Robinson and others stood nodding in support of the dud deal Donaldson produced.
There is much here for the DUP to address. The DUP needs to own this situation. Government will vehemently deny dirty tricks - of course they will - but people are not stupid and should not be taken for fools.
I have today tabled this motion in the House of Commons:-
"That this House calls on the Prime Minister to recommend to His Majesty The King that the Knighthood of Jeffrey Donaldson, the former MP for Lagan Valley, be removed, following his criminal convictions for sexual offences.""

[johnnycool]

Jim Allister shows what is important to him

https://www.facebook.com/jim.allister.1/posts/pfbid0aGsoVym9fGGs1UvADDKkvB9WWckLgje5vajjy8dGWKYd5DqQWY8DxZTWguD1kK4hl

"Donaldson conviction - for how long was he compromised to the detriment of Unionism?
Statement by TUV leader, Jim Allister KC MP:-
The conviction of Jeffrey Donaldson for multiple sexual offences is truly shocking.
Primarily my thoughts are with his victims, but for whose immense courage and honesty, Donaldson would have continued to play out the role of 'statesman'. Now, he stands exposed as a paedophile.
Donaldson must be stripped of his knighthood forthwith.
However, for unionism, a very chilling and troubling issue arises, namely, how far did his 'troubles' give rise to his sell out on the Protocol?
To me it is inconceivable that the government was unaware of his proclivities and the idea of such being used as leverage is far from fanciful.
His about turn from 'unalterable opposition' to the Protocol to Protocol facilitator was telling. From sharing platforms with me and others in robust opposition, he somersaulted to lying salesmanship of the phoney 'Safeguarding the Union' document. Who could forget his brazen lies that the Irish Sea border was gone?
How did this come about? The fact Donaldson insisted in key meetings with HMG on being unaccompanied by colleagues raises red flags in itself. Was he on a mission of attempted self-preservation in the hope, no matter how deluded, he could stave off the fate that has now befallen him?
Yet, his then deputy, Gavin Robinson and others stood nodding in support of the dud deal Donaldson produced.
There is much here for the DUP to address. The DUP needs to own this situation. Government will vehemently deny dirty tricks - of course they will - but people are not stupid and should not be taken for fools.
I have today tabled this motion in the House of Commons:-
"That this House calls on the Prime Minister to recommend to His Majesty The King that the Knighthood of Jeffrey Donaldson, the former MP for Lagan Valley, be removed, following his criminal convictions for sexual offences.""

The man lacks any morality or empathy for victims as we well know for his support for Davy Tweed.

[gallsman]

Astonishing stuff. Victory for the two victims. Are there more!? Now we know how the Brits got him to sign off the Windsor framework.

Victory isn't the word I'd use. There are no winners here. The best they can hope for is maybe a bit of closure and a sense of justice. What was done to them can never be undone.

As for the last bit, not too many times someone on this board shares the thoughts of Jim Allister 

[Mourne Red]

I hope you're sending a few invoices out after today's  questioning on the board David

[David McKeown]

I hope you're sending a few invoices out after today's  questioning on the board David

Contrary to popular opinion we are not all greedy ***********

[brokencrossbar1]

What a sinister piece of sh*t Jeff and his mrs are.
Doing what they did was bad enough, but making the victims sit through a trial and be ridiculed and accused of being liars while he sat there just makes the crimes even worse.
Jail time is too good for them.
Thank goodness they've been found guilty and I'd like to think there would be some special treatment reserved for them.

I have a question though, maybe for David. The people who facilitated the meeting between JD and one of the girls so he could apologise, are they not in any way guilty? Surely they had a duty of care at the time to the child and should have been bringing it to the attention of the authorities?

I really hope the 2 victims can move on with their lives and find some peace now that this has been resolved.

On this question would these parties not have been supeoned if thats the right word to give evidence on the subject of the meetings.

I understand that they did give evidence of facilitating the meeting but were not party to the actual conversations to a great deal. 

The sentencing will be interesting because it is a huge opportunity for a judge to really put a marker down, ands Paul Ramsey would not be afraid to do so,  but he needs to be careful too.  Given the public profile of the whole thing and the status of Donaldson it will be tough as it has been dragged on for longer than normal due to the wife's health and this will have had an impact on the victims.  COupled with fighting it to the very last will mean that there will be no leniency shown I'd say.

Will also be interesting now if the victims forgo their anonymity and make public statements after the sentencing.

Not sure I would quite agree, not a Judge known for stiff sentences lets just say

Probably right,  was talking to a friend last week who had said he might give a hefty sentence and he would know mire about that side of things than me but there will be limited leniency shown due to making the trial go the whole way so perhaps he has the freedom to be as hard as he wants.

[general_lee]

May be a silly question here - is his position as a (former) MP an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing? The DUP in their statement mention an abuse of power. Edit: abuse of trust

[GTP]

If Jim is correct about the government cover up Sir JD would have no reason to keep quiet about it now. Having been found guilty any alleged deal has failed. A rather sickening attempt to tear his rivals apart.

[Milltown Row2]

Which roads will be closed tonight?


I've checked the concerned parents groups on social media and no new posters going up on gable walls!

I suppose they'll stick him on a few bonfires

The businesses I'm sure will have been told to close or else and the cops will be getting more overtime...

[David McKeown]

May be a silly question here - is his position as a (former) MP an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing? The DUP in their statement mention an abuse of power. Edit: abuse of trust

Not really

[Main Street]

May be a silly question here - is his position as a (former) MP an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing? The DUP in their statement mention an abuse of power. Edit: abuse of trust

Not just abuse of trust but according to the DUP , Jeffrey also stands guilty of committing the ultimate crime, betrayal of unionists

[playwiththewind1st]

Funny enough, they never see it coming, every time the Brits betray them, yet again & throw them under the bus.

[Armagh18]

Mad story, you never thought he'd reslly be convicted. Fair play to the victims, god knows what they've been through over the years.