Ruth Dudley Edwards: Some people might be astounded at Jeffrey Donaldson’s unmasking as a paedophile, but I wasn’t
It was shortly after Jeffrey Donaldson was elected to parliament in May 1997 that David Trimble suggested a meeting with him.
Trimble, whom I had known a bit and got on with since 1986, had been leader of the Ulster Unionist Party for almost two years.
I had come to respect his brains and integrity and he had come to trust me as an honest friend, as, latterly, he did Sean O’Callaghan, IRA terrorist-turned-informer, who was invaluable to him as an adviser on republicanism.
David was mentoring Jeffrey, his new MP, by showing him parliamentary ropes and introducing him to potentially useful contacts.
After friendly drinks, the four of us headed off to a restaurant for dinner.
This alleged total abstainer revealed himself as a lover of good claret.
The devout Lagan Valley Holy Joe was a bon viveur in London.
When it came to splitting the bill, Jeffrey was charged with doing the sums.
Sean and I were both hopeless with money, but we agreed uneasily afterwards that we seemed to have paid an awful lot.
We met by arrangement again a few weeks later in a club sitting room.
David took me aside discreetly, jammed some banknotes into my hand and said “Sorry about what happened.”
I don’t believe rumours without evidence, but over time, there seemed plenty to indicate that he preferred porn videos to the Bible and seemed keen on good-looking young women.
David’s sheer honesty and decency made him a poor reader of bad people, but it didn’t take Sean and I long to realise that Jeffrey was not only mean, but a smooth-talking hypocrite whose priority was Jeffrey.
When after a few terrible post-Agreement years as David was consistently betrayed by the British and Irish governments and colleagues and was eternally on the edge of losing control of his party, we were unsurprised when Jeffrey jumped ship.
So did Arlene Foster, but while I saw Jeffrey’s desertion as betrayal, I never thought that of Arlene, whom I always found honourable.
By then I didn’t believe he had good motives.
And now is now.
Once it became clear that two heroic women could not be sweet-talked out of their search for justice, Jeffrey relied on his smooth talk winning over susceptible jury members.
But the jurors were unanimous in finding him guilty of 18 historical sex offences.
They have ensured that other children will not be at risk.
The Right Honourable Jeffrey Donaldson, Privy Counsellor, finally heard those terrible words “Take Mr Donaldson down” and is in his Maghaberry cell begging God and his victims to forgive him.
Even the Orange Order has expelled him instantly.
The days of good claret and foreign trips as a peacemaker are over.
There is no prisoner as much hated by others as a nonce.
Jeffrey is an IRM21 — an “at risk” inmate.
He will be well-guarded, but there won’t be much convivial company.
I’ve heard others being astounded at his unmasking, but I wasn’t.
The mills of God have ground slowly but very, very finely.
Now will all those people on X objecting to the anonymity of his victims butt out.
These wonderful women deserve respect and peace.
l Ruth Dudley Edwards’ books include The Faithful Tribe: An Intimate Portrait of the Loyal Institutions and The Omagh Bombing and the Families’ Pursuit of Justice