Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1538Attempting to pervert the course of justice · Co. Limerick

Garda Tom Flavin acquitted of 22 counts of perverting the course of justice

Garda Tom Flavin, 51, from west County Limerick, was acquitted by a jury at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court of 22 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, following allegations he entered false motor insurance details on the Garda Pulse system to frustrate prosecutions of uninsured drivers.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court29 May
  5. Acquitted6 Jun
    2 reports
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
33 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGarda prosecution witnesses gave evidence of stopping vehicles in various parts of the country and requesting motorists to produce driving licence and insurance details. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSome of the motorists were not insured and subsequently pleaded guilty and were convicted of driving without insurance. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOne Garda witness checked with an insurance company about one motorist and was told the company did not have a policy for that driver. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe drivers were stopped at routine Garda checkpoints around the country and asked to produce insurance and licence details at a nominated station within 10 days (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSome drivers were actually not insured and had been prosecuted after pleading guilty to driving without insurance (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe drivers involved were stopped at routine Garda checkpoints around the country and asked to produce insurance and licence details at a nominated Garda station within ten days. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSome of the drivers were actually not insured and had been prosecuted in court after pleading guilty to driving without insurance. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAll relevant data entries into Pulse were entered under the ID of Thomas Flavin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereAll the drivers involved were living in or near Rathkeale and nominated their local station to produce documents within 10 days. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereAll drivers nominated Rathkeale Garda station for their follow-up checks (irishtimes.com)
  • whereGarda Flavin had served in Croom and Rathkeale, Co Limerick, for many years (irishtimes.com)
  • whereFlavin was based in Croom and Rathkeale, Co Limerick. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereAll of the drivers nominated Rathkeale garda station. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe alleged offences occurred on dates between November 2016 and September 2018 while Flavin was serving out of Rathkeale Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationSergeant Martin Egan of the Policy Enforcement Unit explained that Gardaí are expected to enter insurance and licence details into PULSE via the DLIP feature. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe PULSE system automatically notes or records the identity of a Garda who enters information into the system. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe prosecution said it would produce CCTV and phone evidence to corroborate the allegations. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe investigation was conducted by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe investigation was conducted by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI). (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeTom Flavin, 51, has pleaded not guilty to 22 counts of perverting the course of justice contrary to Common Law. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe was accused of knowingly entering false motor insurance details on the Garda Pulse system to frustrate prosecutions for driving without insurance (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe was accused of knowingly entering false motor insurance details on the Garda Pulse computer records system to frustrate prosecutions for driving without insurance. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Colin Daly warned the jury not to conduct their own investigations into anyone involved in the trial. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtGarda Thomas Flavin was acquitted of 22 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court after an eight-day trial (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on 17 of the charges (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • courtTrial judge Colin Daly directed the jury to return not guilty verdicts on five counts (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury deliberated for three hours and 21 minutes before unanimously dismissing all allegations (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGarda Tom Flavin was acquitted of 22 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Colin Daly directed not guilty verdicts on five counts. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe prosecuting barrister was Fiona Murphy SC. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe jury deliberated for three hours and 21 minutes before returning the verdict. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe prosecution described its case as circumstantial with no direct evidence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA statute of limitation of six months generally applied to prosecuting offences of driving without insurance. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Jun2025
    Acquittedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Jury dismisses allegations Garda 'sorted out' drivers over insurance offences

    Reports the acquittal verdict after an eight-day trial; jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on 17 counts and the judge directed not guilty verdicts on 5 counts.

    accused, Tom Flavin, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tom Flavinvictim
  2. 6 Jun2025
    Acquittedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Co Limerick garda acquitted of charges he fixed motoring offences for drivers

    Reports the acquittal of Garda Thomas Flavin following an eight-day trial, with details of the prosecution's circumstantial case, the defence arguments, and the jury's unanimous verdicts.

    accused, Thomas Flavin, male, named, irish (judged from name)Thomas Flavinvictim
  3. 29 May2025
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Garda denies 22 counts of perverting course of justice on road traffic offences

    Reports on ongoing trial evidence including prosecution witnesses describing PULSE checks, Sergeant Martin Egan explaining the DLIP feature, the DPP's opening address alleging Flavin 'sorted out' insurance detections, and the judge's warning to the jury.

    accused, Tom Flavin, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)Tom Flavin