Ex-Sinn Féin press officer jailed for child sex offences

Former Sinn Féin property serviceman Michael McMonagle has been jailed for kid enactment offences.

He had already been placed connected the intersexual offenders registry aft an earlier tribunal quality wherever helium pleaded blameworthy to 14 charges.

They subordinate to assorted dates betwixt May 2020 and August 2021.

On Friday astatine Londonderry Crown Court McMonagle was sentenced to 9 months successful custody and a further 9 months connected licence.

McMonagle, 43, who has an code of Limewood Street successful Londonderry, primitively faced 15 charges, including attempting to incite 2 children to prosecute successful intersexual activity.

He was besides accused of 13 counts of attempted intersexual connection with a child.

At his archetypal tribunal quality past twelvemonth helium was charged with 3 offences but 12 much were added later.

McMonagle worked for a clip arsenic a paper writer successful Derry earlier being employed arsenic a Sinn Féin property serviceman successful the northbound west.

He was besides an advisor for the enactment astatine Stormont for a fig of years.

It was revealed that 2 Sinn Féin property officers gave references for McMonagle, their erstwhile colleague, aft helium had been arrested and suspended from the party, but earlier helium had appeared successful court.