The dark shadow of Jeffrey Donaldson will hang over both Stormont and Westminster for many years after he is sentenced in September for his appalling catalogue of sex offences against two women, who displayed exceptional courage in testifying against him.

Many people from politics, journalism and elsewhere who had regular dealings with Donaldson in the course of their work have already set out their shock and repugnance over the crimes he was convicted of committing in the prolonged period from 1985 to 2008.

I was only on nodding terms with him when our paths occasionally crossed, and we never had a proper conversation, despite my best efforts, but I had known him to see for almost half a century and would have been aware of a range of his personal connections throughout that time.

There was innuendo about Donaldson for many years, much of it comprehensively reflected in Friday’s commendable BBC Spotlight investigation, but, to my understanding, nothing that related to the offences for which he was eventually convicted.

Noel Doran: The Jeffrey Donaldson I saw in south Down

Newton Emerson: The political fallout from Donaldson’s downfall may only be beginning

We grew up just a few miles apart in south Down, and, while he is slightly younger than me, we were also educated in the same town at around the same stage, although in our divided........

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