Ex-Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle returned to prison after breaching license condition

Former Sinn Féin press officer, Michael McMonagle has been returned to prison to serve out the remaining seven months of his sentence after breaching the terms of his release.

McMonagle was released from jail last August after serving nine months of an 18-month prison sentence for child sex abuse offences.

On Wednesday during a hearing before Coleraine Magistrate's Court the 44-year-old, formerly of Limewood Street in the Bogside area of Londonderry, 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 on McMonagle last November when he was sentenced. He was to serve half the 18-month term in prison and half on licence, after he admitted committing fourteen child sex abuse offences.

During the hearing 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 Féin press officer.

Imposing a two month jail sentence and suspending him for twelve months, District Judge King told McMonagle "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Within 24 hours of District Judge King's comments, McMonagle's release on licence was revoked and he was re-arrested and returned to custody in Maghaberry Prison.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 had 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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