Irish Presidential Hopeful Kevin Sharkey Admits He Used To Be An Escort

The upcoming Irish Presidential race has just had its first sex scandal! Artist Kevin Sharkey, a one-time Sinn Féin member who is seeking a nomination to put his name on the ballot as an independent candidate, has admitted that he used to work as a so-called escort.

However, Kevin Sharkey, who worked as a €250 an hour escort for a period while hard-up living in Ibiza, insists that he never had sex with any of his clients.

“I was a paid escort, but I never had sex for money," Kevin Sharkey told the Irish Sunday Mirror.

"For six weeks in Spain I worked as an escort but I didn’t get paid for sex. I went out for dinner with people to restaurants and that sort of thing.

"It was at the time when the crash happened. I gave an interview [afterwards] and was a bit over- enthusiastic, I tried to make it more juicy, but the reality is there was no paid sex."

But the 57-year-old says he's not ashamed of being an escort and believes it should not impact on his chances of making history by becoming the first black President of Ireland.

“I’m neither a victim nor a survivor, I’m a winner, and I believe we have to move away from shaming people for things," said Kevin Sharkey.

“In terms of scrutinising my past, when the nominations come then that is when the gates of hell will open.”