A Derry Councillor has been suspended from the SDLP after providing a court reference for an Irish soldier who was recently jailed for the rape of another member of the Defence Forces.
Brian Tierney, a former mayor of Derry and Strabane, last week apologised for the reference he issued for 30 year old, Kielan Mooney of Bloomfield Park, Derry which he later withdrew.
The SDLP has described it as a “grave error of judgement”.
Councillor Tierney says he has “made the very difficult decision to step aside as an SDLP councillor” after “reflecting on the situation over the past few days”.
