Jeffrey Donaldson sentencing: Ex-UDR member repulsed by ex-DUP leader's crimes
Former members of the UDR have distanced themselves from the "disgusting" crimes of former high profile member Jeffrey Donaldson.
Formed in 1970 in response to the demand for additional troops to support the civil powers in Northern Ireland, the regiment was on continuous operational service for 22 years, a distinction held by no other regiment in the history of the British Army.
The unique service and sacrifice of the UDR and Royal Irish (Home Service) was marked by Queen Elizabeth II when she awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross to the Royal Irish Regiment in 2006.
Former MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who was given 15 years this week for the sexual abuse of two young girls, often spoke in the House of Commons about the regiment and his former service in it.
At no time during his trial have any of his crimes been linked to his time serving in the regiment.
However former UUP leader Lord Tom Elliott, who also served in the UDR, said ex-members would be disgusted with Donaldson's crimes.
"The members of the UDR will be equally as disgusted as everybody else," the UUP peer said.
"I don't think there's any difference between what what they would think and everybody else."
The issue of his abuse was not discussed among former UDR members in the Fermanagh during the trial, in his experience, because they would have had so little contact with UDR members in Co Down or Lisburn where Jeffrey was based, he said.
He also confirmed the internal UUP investigation into Jeffrey Donaldson's years within the party are ongoing, being overseen by party leader John Burrows.
It has been given extra time to run until after Donaldson's sentencing to allow it to capture any further information from the courts, he said.
Former senior PSNI officer turned safeguarding consultant Jim Gamble is leading a similar investigation in the DUP.
Castlederg man Stevan Patterson said he had been talking to former UDR men who were equally disgusted by Donaldson's crimes.
"I have been talking to quite a few past members of the UDR CGC, and they like me feel deeply shocked and saddened by what has emerged," he told the News Letter.
"We are all specially thinking of his victims and that now justice has at least finally been done."
While he was never personally a member of the UDR, he said Donaldson's past actions and "blatant uncaring attitude without any admission of guilt is shocking".
He noted that Donaldson had been a special guest of honour at a parade and service of remembrance at Castlederg in August, 2021 to mark the 50th anniversary of the murder of UDR soldier Winston Donnell, who was related to Stevan by marriage.
"Since the news broke of Donaldson's arrest and later conviction this year it is hard to look at the pictures and film clip of that very moving parade service in honour of Winston, as when I do I see Donaldson and think of his double life that was so evil," he said.
In April Stevan had also helped publicise a 40th anniversary commemoration of the murder of Private William Pollock, a friend and neighbour who was a part-time UDR soldier murdered in an IRA boobytrap explosion. Stevan was fishing close by and saw the fatal bomb explosion.