Ex-garda jailed for inciting strangers to rape colleague to enter further pleas

Gordon Deegan

A former Garda jailed last July for inciting strangers to rape a colleague is to enter further pleas to the alleged unauthorised disclosure of Garda Pulse personal data on two individuals.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Shane Flanagan (39) with an address in Ennis appeared via video-link from prison in connection with the alleged unauthorised Pulse disclosure charges.

Flanagan - who turns 40 next month - first pleaded guilty to two counts on dates between January 12th, 2020, and September 24th 2020 out of 14 Pulse counts before the court last October, and sentencing was due to take place on March 4th.

However, following an application by counsel for Flanagan, Aaron Desmond BL, Judge Francis Comerford has deferred sentencing to a later date.

Counsel for the State, Sarah Jane Comerford, said that more pleas were forthcoming on counts 2 to 13.

Mr Desmond asked that sentencing be adjourned as a psychiatric report on Mr Flanagan is not yet ready for the court.

He said: “It is an unusual matter.”

Judge Comerford adjourned the case to tomorrow, March 5th for Flanagan to be further arraigned, to enter more pleas concerning the remaining counts against him and to fix a date for sentence.

Addressing Flanagan on the video screen, Judge Comerford said: “You are going to be asked to plead guilty to a number of additional counts."

He said: “If you have any reservations about that or if you want to speak to your solicitors personally, I will facilitate that. What is your wish?

Flanagan - who resigned from the court last March - asked, "is that to plead to the original charges?" and Judge Comerford confirmed that was the case.

In reply Flanagan said: “Yeah - no bother, I am happy to proceed tomorrow without talking to my counsel judge."

At the Central Criminal Court last July, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon sentenced Flanagan to eight years in prison and suspended the final year.

The court heard that Flanagan impersonated a female colleague online and encouraged strangers to come to her house to rape her and her young daughters.

Ms Justice Creedon said that Shane Flanagan showed a breathtaking disregard for the safety of his victims.

Flanagan admitted to two counts of inciting two men to rape the woman, who had been a friend, on dates between November and December 2020.

Flanagan also admitted six counts of endangering the woman and her teenage daughters through his communications online, and he pleaded guilty to possessing four images of child sexual abuse material.

The court heard that Flanagan and the woman were both serving members of An Garda Síochána at the time. They were friends but had never had a romantic or intimate relationship.

Judge Comerford remanded Flanagan to re-appear via video-link to Ennis Circuit Court on Thursday, March 5th.