A Sinn Féin councillor has been suspended due to allegations of inappropriate online messages with a minor. The party whip has been removed from Belfast City councillor JJ Magee, as confirmed by Sinn Féin in a statement on Sunday night. Social services and the PSNI have been notified about the situation.
This suspension comes after the controversy surrounding the departure of former Lord Mayor of Belfast Niall Ó Donnghaile from the party. He admitted to sending inappropriate messages to a teenager and resigned from his role as a senator citing health reasons. Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald acknowledged his contributions and wished him well.
In another incident, a former Sinn Féin press officer, Michael McMonagle, admitted to a series of offenses including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. He was supported by two former party press officers who provided references for him to secure a position with the British Heart Foundation. McMonagle was later placed on the sex offenders register after pleading guilty to sexually abusing children.
In response to the allegations against councillor Magee, Sinn Féin has stated that the party whip has been removed and he has been suspended without prejudice. The matter has been forwarded to the appropriate authorities for investigation in compliance with Sinn Féin’s child safeguarding policy. The party has refrained from making further comments as the investigation is ongoing.
Councillor Magee, represented by legal firm KRW Law, has denied any allegations of inappropriate conduct. A detailed rebuttal has been submitted to the NI Local Government Commissioner for Standards, asserting that there is no inappropriate content in the messages exchanged. Magee has fully cooperated with the investigation and looks forward to being cleared of any wrongdoing.
The statement from KRW Law emphasized that their client does not intend to provide further comments during the ongoing investigation. The focus remains on cooperating with the authorities to resolve the matter and restore Magee’s reputation.
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