A former Sinn Fein press officer has been jailed for nine months, after pleading guilty to a series of child sex offences.
43-year-old Michael McMonagle, of Limewood Street, Derry, pleaded guilty to 14 of 15 offences, including attempting to incite two children to engage in sexual activity.
These events occurred on various dates between May 2020 and August 2021.
The party's president, Mary Lou McDonald, supports the outcome:
“Justice has been served,” she said.
“First of all, my thoughts are with the victims, and I voice appreciation to the system of justice that has brought McMonagle to book.
"He will now be behind bars.”
Work references
It emerged around early October of this year that McMonagle was given work references by two of his former colleagues after he informed the party that he was under investigation for serious child sex offences.
He then used those references to secure a position as Communications Manager for the British Heart Foundation.
Sinn Féin said it only became aware of the work references two days after his guilty plea, with the two men who gave them resigning with immediate effect.
In the weeks following this revelation, however, considerable questions were raised regarding the party leadership's handling of the affair – and why Deputy Leader Michelle O’Neill did not raise concerns about Mr McMonagle’s attendance at a British Heart Foundation event at Stormont long after he had been suspended by Sinn Féin.
