The reinstatement of a councillor who gave a reference for a soldier jailed for rape has been approved by the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). Brian Tierney, a member of Derry City and Strabane District Council, had been suspended by the party and lost his whip after the details of the reference came to light earlier this year. The reference was for Kielan Mooney from Londonderry, who was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for raping a woman who was also in the Irish army. Tierney apologized and withdrew the reference following the controversy.
After launching an investigation, the SDLP has decided to reinstate Tierney, citing the importance of remorse and restitution. The party recognizes the harm caused by providing a character reference for someone convicted of such serious crimes. A party spokesperson emphasized that Tierney was misled about the nature of the offense, but his sincere apology and engagement with the affected parties, including the victim, were taken into consideration in the decision to reinstate him.
In response to this incident, the SDLP has directed all its elected representatives to refrain from giving character references in cases involving violence or sexual crimes. Additionally, the party has implemented mandatory training for its politicians to raise awareness about the challenges women face in the justice system. The SDLP is actively advocating for the prohibition of character references in cases related to sexual violence to better support victims and survivors of such crimes
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