Councillor's Party Whip Restored Following SDLP Probe into Rapist Soldier's Reference

A councillor who provided a character reference for a soldier jailed for rape has had the SDLP whip and party membership reinstated, his party has announced.

Reinstatement After Investigation
Former Mayor Brian Tierney announced in January that he was stepping back from his role as an SDLP councillor after it was revealed that he had provided a character reference for a rapist soldier from Derry. Kielan Mooney, 30, was convicted of rape offences and sentenced to eight and a half years in jail in Dublin in January.

Apology and Acknowledgment Issued
Councillor Tierney withdrew the reference upon learning the nature of the charges. The Mooney family later issued an apology to him, clarifying the circumstances of the reference. The SDLP has reinstated Tierney's party membership and whip on Derry City and Strabane District Council after concluding its investigation.

Party's Actions and Directives
The SDLP has implemented directives on character references, social media use, and training for representatives on supporting victims of domestic abuse. Acknowledging the hurt caused, they emphasized Tierney's apology and engagement with the affected parties. The investigation also addressed Tierney's social media activity.

Commitment to Victims
The SDLP is advocating against character references in cases of sexual violence to support victims' pathways to justice. They believe in remorse and restitution and have reinstated Tierney's membership accompanied by process changes within the party.

SDLP's Directive
The SDLP will work towards eliminating violence against women and girls and campaigning for the removal of character references in courts. For more news, visit our homepage and subscribe to our daily newsletter.