Former Sinn Fein Press Officer Charged With Child Sex Offences

Sinn Fein has been hit by an investigation into alleged child sex offences involving a former employee at Stormont. The man, who was a key member of the party’s backroom team at both the Northern Ireland Assembly and Westminster, has been charged with several child sex offences.

The accused, who is in his 40s, was working for Sinn Fein at the Assembly when the offences are alleged to have taken place. However after his arrest the man was immediately suspended by Sinn Fein.

He is accused of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity online. He also faces a charge of communicating with a child online for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification. He is further accused of attempting to get a child to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity.

The offences are alleged to have taken place on dates between May 2020 and August 2021.

An arrest warrant has been issued for the former Sinn Féin press officer this week as he was due to appear in court on child sex offences. Micheal McMonagle, of Limewood Street in Londonderry, failed to appear at Bishop Street courthouse in the city on Wednesday.

A police officer told the court on Wednesday that he was aware of the facts of the case and that he could connect the accused to the charges.

A defence solicitor said his client had told him that he had a flat tyre and that he would be making his way to the court. Later, when the case was up for mention again, the solicitor told the court that he had been unsuccessful in contacting the accused.

District Judge Barney McElholm then issued an arrest warrant saying: “He needs to come in here and have the charges put to him.”

Mr McMonagle was employed as a Sinn Féin press officer in the north west. He was also an adviser for the party at Stormont for a number of years. In a statement earlier on Wednesday, Sinn Féin said that as soon as it became aware of his arrest, he was “immediately suspended from employment and party membership”.

“The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has not made contact with Sinn Féin about this investigation.”

ENDS