Stormont speaker Edwin Poots has said former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson “destroyed the innocence of children”.
Mr Poots also said he had found his former party colleague out on lies “too many times over many years”, adding that the ex-MP had also chosen to lie when “faced with the consequences of his actions”.
Donaldson was unanimously convicted by a jury at Newry Crown Court this week for 18 child sex offences, including rape, which he committed against two women when they were children.
The ex-MP has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced later this year.
Mr Poots previously defeated Donaldson to become leader of the DUP in 2021.
However, Mr Poots was forced out of the position just weeks later following a party revolt and replaced by Donaldson.
The veteran MLA later took up the position of Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
In a social media post, Mr Poots quoted the Bible, stating: “The Lord Jesus Christ said of those who harm children ‘that it would be better for them if a millstone was put around their neck and they were cast in the depth of the sea’.”
He added: “Jeffrey Donaldson has spent his first night in prison, he will have many more to come with time to contemplate the enormity of his crimes against young girls.
“He destroyed the innocence of children, having been faced with the consequences of his actions he chose to lie, to force them to relive the trauma he perpetuated on them, and accuse his victims of lying.
“I found Donaldson out on lies too many times over many years, though I could never have imagined he could have been so depraved.
“My heart goes out to the victims of his abuse.
“They demonstrated honesty, resilience, strength and integrity.
“I hope they have peace. He may have broke them as children but failed to break them as adults,
“They have been in my prayers since his arrest and will continue to remember them in the days ahead.”
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