First Minister Michelle O'Neill has accused the Democratic Unionist Party of turning a blind eye to the behaviour of its former leader Jeffrey Donaldson. Donaldson was convicted last month of 18 counts of child sex abuse, including one count of rape.

A new allegation surfaced on Tuesday that Donaldson sexually assaulted a woman in the DUP's Westminster offices in 2016. The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed it received a report about a non-recent offence and is assessing the information.

It was previously disclosed that two senior DUP figures were made aware in 2021 of a woman's claim that she had been exploited by Donaldson. The DUP has denied ever receiving a formal complaint, but a spokesperson said the party encourages anyone with information to contact police. The party has commissioned an independent review into safeguarding arrangements.

Speaking to reporters, O'Neill claimed many within the DUP were aware of Donaldson's actions. She called on Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to explain what she knew. O'Neill said she had spoken to Little-Pengelly, but the deputy first minister must answer questions herself.

The DUP accused Sinn Fein of selective outrage and said O'Neill should await the outcome of the independent review. The party stated it never received any complaint regarding Donaldson's behaviour.

Alliance Party Deputy Leader Eoin Tennyson described the reported awareness by senior DUP members as deeply concerning. He said each new revelation raises questions about whether opportunities were missed to protect people and called for openness about who knew what.

Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey said the public is entitled to answers and the DUP cannot hide behind its review. Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows wrote to the Prime Minister calling for a full independent inquiry with the power to examine information from police, security agencies, and political parties.