Former Sinn Fein press officer facing child sex abuse charges ‘living on £84.80 per week

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/former-sinn-fein-press-officer-facing-child-sex-abuse-charges-living-on-8480-per-week/a61178915.html

A former senior press officer for Sinn Fein, who is facing three child sex abuse charges, is living on £84.80 per week, a court has been told.
Michael McMonagle (42) from Limewood Street in the Bogside area of Derry, is charged with attempting to communicate with a child under the age of 16 for the purpose of his sexual gratification and with attempting to cause a child under 16 to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity.

He is further charged with attempting to incite a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Mr McMonagle denies committing the offences, which are alleged to have occurred between May 2020 and August 2021.

In Londonderry Magistrates Court today, it was heard that Mr McMonagle was living on £84.80 a week when his solicitor Paddy MacDermott, applied for legal aid before District Judge Barney McElholm.

He said Mr McMonagle had lost his previous employment since he first appeared in court charged with the offences last August and was now living on a weekly employment support allowance.

A solicitor for the Public Prosecution Service said the case was going on indictment to the Crown Court, on a date to be fixed.

A preliminary enquiry date was fixed for February 29, with a review date on February 1.

Judge McElholm granted the legal aid application and backdated it to last August

by Gazmac_868855