Sinn Fein election worker admits to being a British spy

A former Sinn Féin election worker has issued a statement admitting to being a British spy for over 20 years.

In a statement issued through his solicitor today, Mr Seán Lavelle, from Donagh near Lisnaskea, gave details of his activities.  Mr Lavell, 60, said he was recruited when arrested by the North's security forces in 1980.

It is understood that Mr Lavelle is not a member of Sinn Féin despite having worked as an election worker for the party in the past.

Today's revelation comes a day after Sinn Féin leader Mr Gerry Adams admitted that more British spies operating within the party's ranks would be discovered following the admission of Denis Donaldson that he was a British spy.

The West Belfast MP said: "You are going to get more alleged agents or real agents being trotted out in the time ahead."

Mr Donaldson, 55, Sinn Fein's former head of administration at Stormont and a close confidant of Mr Adams, has not been seen in Belfast since before Christmas, after dramatically confessing his role as a British agent for more than 20 years.

He was originally arrested by police in October 2002, along with his son-in-law Ciarán Kearney and civil servant William Mackessy, amid accusations that they operated a spy ring at Stormont which went to the heart of former Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid's office.

The arrests forced Mr Reid to suspend the Northern Ireland Assembly and multi-party executive within days.

After a three-year legal battle, charges against the three men were dropped at Belfast Crown Court last month, with the Public Prosecution Service insisting it was no longer in the public interest to pursue the case.