High Court lifts suspension of Sinn Féin election candidate

A Sinn Féin local election candidate who was suspended from the party for allegedly threatening to send an ex-prisoner after his wife has won a High Court order lifting the suspension.

Edward McCarrick, 33, who says he will vehemently contest the alleged complaint in a disciplinary process, was selected at a convention last October to run for SF in the Ballymote (South Sligo) electoral area.

The Dublin native, with an address at Rathscanlon, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, claims he was indefinitely suspended from the party in November without being informed of the nature of the complaint, the identity of the complainant and without the chance of rebuttal, contrary to the party’s disciplinary procedures.

During an injunction application to lift Mr McCarrick’s suspension, the High Court heard the contents of an email allegedly sent by Mr McCarrick’s Brazilian wife, Michely, to Sinn Féin councillor Chris McManus.

In the email, Ms McCarrick said she had lived in Tubbercurry with her husband and two children for four years and had suffered verbal and emotional abuse by her husband. She said she had mentioned to him that she would love to go to Brazil with her children, but Mr McCarrick had said he would send an ex-IRA prisoner after her.

Tom Hogan BL, representing the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle yesterday, told the court Mr McCarrick’s suspension without prejudice would continue until the party received word from gardaí as to the outcome of their inquiries.

Lifting the suspension, Mr Justice Sean Ryan said Mr McCarrick remains innocent until a jury convicts him, if that ever happens.