A Sinn Fein councillor who sexually assaulted a bar worker while on a stag night in Edinburgh city centre 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 at the capital’s Three Sisters pub in October last year.
McLaughlin, 60, denied the sex attack and claimed he was only pulling the woman closer to him as he could not hear what she was saying to him.
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But CCTV played to the court during his trial showed the local republican politician sexually assaulting the staff member by touching her up during his drunken night out.
McLaughlin, from Cloughmills, Northern Ireland, stood trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month and was back in the dock for sentencing yesterday.
McLaughlin’s defence agent said the shamed councillor has the “support of his family” and that he has made “a positive contribution within his community” since being elected in 2010.
The court was told McLaughlin had resigned from the Sinn Fein party following his conviction and the social work report has been 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 were found guilty after trial on a summary complaint of sexual assault on a date in October 2021.
“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.
“You do however have an apparent difficulty in seeing how a young woman can react negatively to unwanted touching in a bar.
“This case will hopefully send a message to you and others that such casual assaults will not be tolerated.”
Sheriff Corke placed McLaughlin on the Sex Offenders Register and on a supervision order for the next six months.
Following his conviction Sinn Fein said it had expelled McLaughlin from the party where he represented the area of Ballymoney on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
A spokesperson said: “Sinn Fein has written to Councillor Cathal McLaughlin upon receipt of information that he has been convicted in a Scottish court of a serious criminal offence.
“Our thoughts are with the victim of this serious crime of sexual assault.”
The spokesperson added that McLaughlin failed to notify the party that he was subject to ‘criminal proceedings’.
They said: “Given the severity of the offence, his membership of Sinn Féin is terminated with immediate effect.”
A spokesperson for Causeway Coast and Glens council said: “Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council can confirm that Cathal McLaughlin resigned from his position on July 23rd 2022.”
McLaughlin was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman by handling her hinder parts at the Three Sisters, Cowgate, Edinburgh, on October 15 last year.
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