PSNI found no criminal offense in messages sent by Sinn Fein’s JJ Magee – The Irish Times

A police investigation into allegedly inappropriate Internet messages sent by a Sinn Féin the minor’s adviser established that “no criminal offenses were detected.”

Reports on JJ Magee (61) were made to Police of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in June, it has been revealed.

Mr Magee, who denies the allegations, has been suspended from the party.

In a statement on Monday, the PSNI confirmed it had carried out the review after receiving a report of unacceptable messages five months ago.

“Security assessments and engagement with other government agencies were then carried out,” the spokesman added.

Mr Magee has served as a Belfast City Councilor since 2014, representing the Old Park area in the north of the city.

On Sunday night, Sinn Féin chairman Declan Kearney said his suspension was “without prejudice” and he was also stripped of the party whip.

Details have been passed on to social services and the PSNI in line with the party’s child protection policy, Mr Kearney added.

The chief executive of Belfast City Council has also been informed.

( Profile: JJ Magee, Sinn FeinOpens in a new window )

Mr Magee’s lawyers said he “absolutely” denied any allegations of misconduct.

KRW Law said their client submitted a 12,000 word, 38 page rebuttal to a complaint made to the local ombudsman in Northern Ireland.

The complaint against him was “malicious, selective and redacted large portions of messages sent and received over a three-month period,” the law firm said.

“The applicant acknowledges that during the preparation of her complaint she received advice from an unknown and unnamed adviser(s).

“Our client claims that there is not a single line in any of the messages he sent that could be considered inappropriate.

“Our client looks forward to vindication and restoring his good name.”

Sinn Féin declined to make any further comment on Monday, saying the allegation was “under active investigation by the relevant authorities”.

The Standards Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Local Government confirmed it had received a report of a potential breach of the code of conduct and said “the allegation is currently being investigated”.

KRW Law’s statement also said Mr Magee did not alert Sinn Féin to the complaint because he believed there was no substance to it and that it would be resolved quickly once all the facts were provided.

His suspension is the latest in a series of controversies that have rocked the party over the past six weeks.

Concerns about how the Sinn Féin leadership will handle the child protection crisis dominated the news agenda on both sides of the border.

The Leader of the Opposition at Stormont, SDLP MP Matthew O’Toole, said the Magee case “highlights the need for continued transparency”.

“I would not like to comment on the details of this case, the allegations are being contested and the MP concerned is entitled to have that process respected until there is a conclusion,” he said.

“But when there’s more detail and in the context of the allegations, I still think it’s worth it for us to understand Sinn Féin when exactly they were informed corporately about this.

“Given the context of how information is shared within Sinn Féin and whether it is dealt with promptly and transparently – a concern that has been raised repeatedly – ​​I think the legitimate question to ask is whether anyone else in the party was aware of this allegation . and the local authority ombudsman inquiry when was it first done?’