It was announced that 61-year-old Sir Jeffrey and another 57-year-old woman, whose identity was not disclosed, were arrested on Thursday and interrogated about the crimes the man is accused of and the woman is alleged to have assisted him with.

The country’s police announced that Sir Jeffrey and the woman will be brought to court next month to face the charges against them. However, the man stated that he does not accept the accusations against him and will continue to vehemently deny them.

The DUP’s leadership announced that "The Leader has received a letter from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson confirming that he is being pursued for alleged crimes he committed in the past, stating that he resigns from his position as the leader of the DUP party immediately."

"As per the party’s regulations, the leadership has stripped Donaldson of his membership pending the outcome of the trial, appointing Gavin Robinson as the interim leader."

Robinson, who succeeded Donaldson as the party’s leader, expressed his shock at the allegations against Donaldson.

"It was very surprising, not just for me but also for my colleagues in the DUP, and indeed across all of Northern Ireland. We are a party that believes in our justice system, and we hope that in the coming days and months, no one will try to behave in a manner that could hinder the ongoing investigation."

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, resigned from the party leadership after being pursued for crimes of rape and sexual assault.