Ireland Ex-garda sentenced over confidential PULSE data given to friend in Clare
Shane Flanagan, a 41-year-old former garda, supplied confidential PULSE identification data on 14 female motorists in Co Clare to a friend between January and September 2020. The offences came to light during a separate garda investigation into Flanagan, which found 2,212 screenshots of PULSE records on his mobile phone. Colm Meere, 45, pleaded guilty to inciting Flanagan to give out unauthorised PULSE data. At Ennis Circuit Court, reported on 16 September 2026, Flanagan was sentenced to nine months, consecutive to a seven-year term from July 2025, and Meere received a 14-month suspended prison term.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced1 Sep
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Shane Flanagan, 41, a former garda, supplied confidential PULSE identification data on 14 female motorists to a friend.
- Where
- The motorists whose data was disclosed were in County Clare.
- When
- The unauthorised disclosures took place between January and September 2020.
- Investigation
- The offences came to light during a separate garda investigation into Flanagan.
- Gardaí found 2,212 screenshots of PULSE records on Flanagan's mobile phone.
- Charges
- Colm Meere, 45, pleaded guilty to inciting Flanagan to give out unauthorised PULSE data.
- In court
- Sentencing took place at Ennis Circuit Court before Judge Francis Comerford, as reported on 16 September 2026.
- Flanagan appeared in court by video-link from the Midlands Prison.
- The judge said there was no evidence that Meere made contact with the women online.
- None of the women elected to make a victim impact statement.
- Sentence
- Flanagan was sentenced to nine months, to run consecutive to a seven-year term he received in July 2025.
- Meere was given a 14-month suspended prison term.
12 statements extracted from the articles
- whatFlanagan supplied confidential PULSE identification data on 14 female motorists in Co Clare to a friend. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe unauthorised disclosures took place between January and September 2020. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe offences came to light during a separate garda investigation into Flanagan. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí found 2,212 screenshots of PULSE records on Flanagan's mobile phone. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeMeere pleaded guilty to inciting Flanagan to give out unauthorised PULSE data. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe sentencing took place at Ennis Circuit Court before Judge Francis Comerford. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge said there was no evidence of Meere making contact with the women online. (thejournal.ie)
- courtNone of the women elected to make a victim impact statement. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceFlanagan was sentenced to nine months. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe nine-month term will run consecutive to a seven-year term Flanagan received in July 2025. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceMeere was given a 14-month suspended prison term. (thejournal.ie)
- otherFlanagan appeared in court by video-link from the Midlands Prison. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Sep2026Disgraced ex-garda gave confidential information on female motorists to his friend, court hears
Sentencing report for Shane Flanagan and Colm Meere over unauthorised PULSE data disclosures made between January and September 2020. The article also mentions Flanagan's earlier seven-year sentence and a separate 2022 drug-related offence by Meere, which are not part of this case and are not recorded as facts.
convicted, Shane Flanagan, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Shane Flanaganconvicted, Colm Meere, 45, male, named, irish (judged from name)Colm Meerevictim, female