Northern Ireland

Former Sinn Féin councillor Cathal McLaughlin convicted of sex offence

Cathal McLaughlin was found guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of a sex offence
Cathal McLaughlin was found guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of a sex offence Cathal McLaughlin was found guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of a sex offence

A SINN Féin councillor who sexually assaulted a bar worker while on a stag night in the Scottish capital has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Cathal McLaughlin grabbed the waitress and touched her buttocks while was she serving him and his friends drinks in Edinburgh's Three Sisters pub in October last year.

The 60-year-old denied the assault and claimed he was only pulling the woman closer to him as he could not hear what she was saying to him.

McLaughlin, from Cloughmills, Co Antrim, stood trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month and was back in the dock yesterday for sentencing.

The court heard the former Causeway Coast and Glens councillor has the “support of his family” and that he has made “a positive contribution within his community” since being elected in 2010.

He has resigned from Sinn Féin following his conviction and the social work report has deemed him to be “a low risk of reoffending”. The lawyer added the first offender faces “serious implications” due to the nature of the offence he was convicted of.

In sentencing, Sheriff Donald Corke said: “You touched a female bar supervisor on the buttock over her clothing. You had taken a lot of drink but that is no excuse.

“However I take into account your lack of previous convictions and that you have damaged your standing within the community. You have also incurred the expense of repeatedly coming to court from Northern Ireland."

Sheriff Corke placed McLaughlin on the Sex Offenders Register and on a supervision order for the next six months.