Sinn Féin has said Belfast city councillor JJ Magee has been suspended following an allegation about “inappropriate online messages” with a minor.
In a statement, Sinn Féin said the party whip had also been removed from him.
Sinn Fein’s national chairperson Declan Kearney said on Sunday that the chief executive of Belfast City Council had been notified about the decision.
“Cllr Magee has been suspended from the party without prejudice following receipt of an allegation that inappropriate online messages were exchanged between him and a minor,” he said.
“This has been forwarded to the social services and the PSNI, in compliance with Sinn Féin child safeguarding policy.
“The party will not be making any further comment as this matter is under active investigation by the appropriate authorities.”
In a statement this morning, the PSNI confirmed no criminal activity had been detected following an investigation.
“In June 2024, a report of inappropriate messages was made to Police Service of Northern Ireland, which was reviewed, however no criminal offences were detected,” the statement said.
“Safeguarding assessments and engagement with other statutory bodies were conducted at that time.”
KRW Law representing Mr Magee said in a statement: “Our client has lodged a 12,000 word, 38 page rebuttal to a complaint which has been lodged with the NI Local Government Commissioner for Standards.
“Our client absolutely denies any allegation of inappropriate conduct and in particular any conduct which may have occasioned a breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
“The complaint as lodged, is malicious, selective and edits significant portions of messages sent and received over a three-month period which deprived the Commissioner of the opportunity to appropriately assess whether the threshold for initiating a complaint procedure had been met. The complainant acknowledges that she has been advised by unknown and unnamed advisors) in the preparation of her complaint.
“Our client asserts that there is not a single line in any message sent by him which could be considered to be inappropriate.
“Our client further confirms that he did not make Sinn Fein aware of this complaint as there was no substance to the complaint.”
The news comes amid a series of controversies to hit Sinn Féin in recent months.
Just last month it emerged that former Sinn Féin lord mayor of Belfast Niall Ó Donnghaile sent “inappropriate” messages to a teenage boy.
He had announced his resignation from the Seanad in December 2023, citing medical grounds as his reason for stepping down.
In September, former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle (42) from Limewood Street in Derry, admitted a series of sexual offences.
It later emerged that two other Sinn Féin press officers - Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley -had provided job references for McMonagle for a role at the British Heart Foundation.
The two press officers have resigned from Sinn Féin, with the party facing scrutiny over its handling of the case.
The Irish News also revealed last month that a Sinn Féin assembly employee, who was suspended by the party after admitting to involvement in the damage of a portrait of a DUP lord mayor, is the son of a Stormont MLA.
