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Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the Democratic Unionist Party has said “victims must always have the best opportunity for justice”.
It comes after Sir Jeffrey Donaldson stepped down as DUP leader on Friday as he faces charges over alleged historical sexual offences.
Ms Little-Pengelly said she was “shocked and devastated by this news”.
She added: “Victims must always have the best opportunity for justice. This must be fully respected and supported.
“My thoughts are with those suffering who have put their faith in the criminal justice system.
“Protecting the integrity of that process necessitates significant restrictions on what can be said. I have faith in our justice system.”
Ms Little-Pengelly went on to say that she was “determined” to work with the interim party leader Gavin Robinson to “provide stability” and continue “tackling the big issues faced by Northern Ireland”.
It is understood Donaldson will be “strenuously contesting” all charges against him.
Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Ms Little-Pengelly’s Stormont counterpart, said all the party leaders share the view there is no threat to the powersharing institutions in Northern Ireland.
“The public here rightly deserve our newly formed executive to continue to deliver for them for now and into the future,” she told Sky News.
“My priority is to make that powersharing work, my priority is to work with the other political leaders around the executive table.
“That was why I thought it was important yesterday to reach out to each of the political leaders to talk about the need for cohesion, to talk about the need for leadership and to talk about the delivery that we now need to get on with in terms of the executive itself.”
Read more: Who is Sir Jeffrey Donaldson?
Donaldson has led the party since 2021 and has been the…
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