Irish police have begun investigations into the lewd Facebook messages which forced deputy Patrick Nulty to quit his seat in the Dublin parliament.
Officers have spoken to the mother of the teenager asked by Nulty online if she had ‘ever been spanked.’
The former Labour Party deputy resigned his seat in the Dublin West constituency after the story emerged on Sunday. A by-election is expected in the autumn.
It has since emerged that other women, including the 17-year-old’s mother, have been subjected to similar social media messages from Nulty.
The girl’s mother has given police a full account of events, according to the Irish Independent newspaper.
Police are now expected to question the former deputy and examine his mobile phones and computers.
They will also investigate complaints that Nulty sent a number of explicit messages to the girl’s mother and several other schoolgirls and women.
The 31-year-old TD has admitted to the media that he had sent messages to the girl ‘while under the influence of alcohol.’
The Irish Independent says he is receiving therapy and has been dealing with alcohol and other personal issues.
His father Paddy broke down when approached by the media. He said, “My son is not a bad person. Look it, he didn’t murder anybody. He is not a bad lad.
“We just want to try to get through this and support him. We will talk but we can’t at the moment. It’s very hard at the minute, please understand that.”
The report reveals that the girl’s mother had asked Nulty for advice on financial issues. She has told police that she also received an inappropriate message from Nulty.
Nulty originally claimed he had been the victim of hackers but the woman became suspicious at the content of the message, as well as the fact that it was apparently sent from inside the Dail.
A police source told the paper, “There is a formal complaint and we are expecting another. Mr Nulty will have to be interviewed and his electronic devices examined as part of an investigation.”
Comments