Former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle has been jailed for child sex offences.

He had already been placed on the sexual offenders register after an earlier court appearance where he pleaded guilty to 14 charges.

They relate to various dates between May 2020 and August 2021.

On Friday at Londonderry Crown Court McMonagle was sentenced to nine months in custody and a further nine months on licence.

McMonagle, 43, who has an address of Limewood Street in Londonderry, originally faced 15 charges, including attempting to incite two children to engage in sexual activity.

He was also accused of 13 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child.

At his first court appearance last year he was charged with three offences but 12 more were added later.

McMonagle worked for a time as a newspaper journalist in Derry before being employed as a Sinn Féin press officer in the north west.

He was also an adviser for the party at Stormont for a number of years.

It was revealed that two Sinn Féin press officers gave references for McMonagle, their former colleague, after he had been arrested and suspended from the party, but before he had appeared in court.