Former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle, who pleaded guilty to 15 child sexual offences charges in September, has been sentenced at Derry Crown Court to a total of 18 months, nine of which are to be spent in prison.
McMonagle was prosecuted after he responded to so-called “decoy” online profiles claiming to be underage, though they were in fact Police Service of Northern Ireland detectives tracking paedophiles.
Sentencing McMonagle (43), Recorder Neil Rafferty said McMonagle’s offences would have received a two-year jail sentence if the case had gone before a jury, but he pleaded guilty “though not at the first opportunity”.
When contacting the alleged minors, identified as “Holly”, “Amber”, “Jess” and “Dylan”, the married man used a number of pseudonyms, including “Derryman”, “Mick Derry”, “michaelmacmaomg”, “connmclaughli21″ and “In Derry”.
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Communicating with “Amber”, who was allegedly aged 12, McMonagle encouraged her to masturbate and shared pictures of his penis, said the judge. With ‘Jess’, allegedly 14, he told “her that lots of girls” masturbate and have sex.
In another conversation in July 2021 with “Youngnbored”, who was portrayed as a 13-year-old boy, McMonagle chatted with him about masturbation and told him that he was masturbating as he talked to him, said the judge
With an address at Limewood Street in Derry, the judge said that McMonagle has twice tried to commit suicide, has lost his marriage, while his three siblings have distanced themselves from him. He is an isolated man, said the judge.
Speaking to McMonagle, who was in the dock accompanied by two security officers, the judge said his offences were especially serious because they had gone on for so long, between May 2020 and August 2021.
Speaking with doctors in advance of sentencing for a medical report, McMonagle denied, as he did with police detectives, that he had any interest in pubescent children, or those who are younger.
“I didn’t connect the words on a screen to real life. I didn’t think it was real, I was detached from reality. I am totally ashamed, it’s not me in the real world. I’m mortified, to be honest, it’s like I don’t recognise myself by doing that”.
However, McMonagle’s barrister, Kieran Mallon launched a strong attack of press coverage of his client’s case, blaming it for provoking the pipe bomb attack in recent days on McMonagle’s home in the Bogside.
His client’s case had become the subject of controversy on the floor of the Northern Ireland Assembly in the Dáil and in exchanges between the Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald and Taoiseach Simon Harris, he complained.
Speaking later, Detective Chief Superintendent Lynsey Fisher urged so-called “paedo hunters” who try to entrap suspects to stop their actions, saying the information they collect does not pass evidential standards and cannot be used in court.
Describing Michael McMonagle as “a predator who had combed the Internet for underage victims”, DCS Fisher said he had been brought to court and his jail sentence in a 15-month long investigation.
Urging vigilante groups to stand down, she said: “Not only are the workings of these groups hindering our investigations in this space, they are not in a position to ensure safeguarding issues are addressed,” she said.
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