A former Sinn Féin press officer who admitted child sex offences is due to be sentenced at Derry Crown Court on Friday.
Michael McMonagle (43), with an address of Limewood Street in Derry, faced two charges of attempted incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity and 13 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child between 2020 and 2021.
McMonagle pleaded guilty to all charges on 23 September, having previously denied the charges.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
The former Sinn Féin press officer, who previously worked as a journalist, was suspended from the party in 2021 after police arrested him for child-sex offences.
Two press officers resigned from their jobs and the party in September after it emerged they provided references for the now convicted child sex offender who went on to secure a job with the British Heart Foundation.
Seán Mag Uidhir, a former newspaper editor, and Caolán McGinley, who once headed Sinn Féin’s youth wing in Derry, resigned after the party was told they provided references for McMonagle.
Sinn Féin has faced criticism over what it knew about McMonagle and when, particularly after the former press officer was pictured attending the same events as Michelle O’Neill and other senior party figures while working for the British Heart Foundation.
Ms O’Neill said she was unaware McMonagle was present at a Stormont event organised by the BHF last February, despite pictures emerging of both at the event.
The controversy kicked off a series of scandals which have impacted the party in recent months, including the admission of former Belfast Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile that he sent inappropriate messages to a minor and a disputed allegation that north Belfast councillor JJ Magee also sent inappropriate messages to a child.
