Posted by Defence solicitor Paddy McGurk told the hearing that the unapproved online activity by his client was of a non-sexual nature
FORMER Sinn Fein press officer Michael McMonagle has been returned to prison.
He was released from jail in August after serving nine months of an 18-month jail sentence for child sex abuse offences.
But earlier this week during a hearing before the Magistrates’ Court in Coleraine, McMonagle, 44, admitted breaching one of his conditions of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order by accessing the internet without the approval of his designated risk manager.
The condition was one of many imposed last November on McMonagle, formerly of Limewood Street in the Bogside area of Derry, when he was sentenced to eighteen months -half in prison and half on licence – after he admitted committing fourteen child sex abuse offences.
During the Coleraine Courthouse hearing this week, a PSNI officer told District Judge Peter King that McMonagle was a category two registered sex offender who is subject to Public Protection arrangements.
She said the Probation Services were aware of the breach and were “drawing up the paperwork for a recall on licence”.
Defence solicitor Paddy McGurk told the hearing that the unapproved online activity by McMonagle was of a non-sexual nature, adding: “This breach is accepted unequivocally”.
McMonagle was incarcerated last November after he pleaded guilty to twelve counts of attempting to sexually communicate with children, guilty to one charge of inciting a female child under the age of thirteen to engage in a sex act involving penetration, and guilty to one charge of inciting a female child to engage in sexual activity.
He committed the fourteen offences on various dates between June 2020 and August 2021 when he was a senior Sinn Fein press officer.
Imposing a two-month jail sentence, suspended for twelve months at the Coleraine hearing on Wednesday, District Judge King told McMonagle said: “There may be further actions in respect of this new offence vis-a-vis your licence.
The licence issue is now a matter for the Commissioners.”
Within twenty-four hours of District Judge King’s comments, McMonagle’s release on licence was revoked and he was re-arrested and returned to custody in Maghaberry Prison.
The decision to revoke McMonagle’s licence period was taken by members of the Parole Commissioners following Wednesday’s court hearing in Coleraine.
Because he’s already served two months on licence following his prison release in August, McMonagle faces spending the remaining seven months in custody.
He has the right to apply to the Parole Commissioners for a reduction in that seven month period.
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