Story perspectives

Police Probe Jeffrey Donaldson Over Alleged 2016 Rape

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 2:19 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is being investigated for an alleged 2016 rape in Parliament.
Police received the report on Tuesday 13 October, referred by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
A single victim is receiving support from specialist officers.
Met investigators said the probe is in early stages with no arrests.
Donaldson, 63, received a 15-year sentence this month for 18 historical sex offences, including rape.

History

Historical Context

Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment—sparked by the Starr Report on his affair with Monica Lewinsky and resulting in a Senate acquittal in February 1999—was the first presidential impeachment since Andrew Johnson. The episode intensified U.S. calls for stricter ethics oversight, a pattern echoed today as Westminster and Stormont face pressure to tighten rules after the Jeffrey Donaldson sexual-misconduct probe.

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Story summary

Former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson is being investigated for an alleged 2016 rape in Parliament.
Police received the report on Tuesday 13 October, referred by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
A single victim is receiving support from specialist officers.
Met investigators said the probe is in early stages with no arrests.
Donaldson, 63, received a 15-year sentence this month for 18 historical sex offences, including rape.

1 / 2