A former garda who created a false online persona of a female colleague and urged strangers to visit her home to sexually assault her and her young daughters has been sentenced to seven years in prison, reports RTE.
Ms Justice Eileen Creedon stated that Shane Flanagan, who left the police force in March, demonstrated a shocking disregard for his victims’ safety.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting two men to rape the woman, a former friend, on dates between November and December 2020, reports RTE.
Flanagan also admitted to six counts of endangering the woman and her teenage daughters through his online communications and confessed to possessing four images of child sexual abuse material.
Ms Justice Creedon imposed an eight-year prison sentence, with the final year suspended, reports RTE.
The court was informed that both Flanagan and the woman were serving members of An Garda Síochána at the time of the offenses.
They were friends but had no romantic or intimate relationship.
Flanagan created a profile on a Canadian website that facilitates discussions about sexual fetishes among users, reports RTE.
The court learned that a subgroup on this site, known as “CNC” or consensual non-consent, involves women giving prior consent for men to visit their homes to rape them.
Using real photos and details of his female friend, Flanagan established a profile and also set up a fake Facebook account for the same purpose, reports RTE.
The scheme came to light in December 2020 when a man, who had been coordinating with the fake account about visiting the woman’s home, contacted her genuine Facebook profile to confirm her consent.
The woman created her own profile on the website, posing as a man, and uncovered the full extent of the personal information being shared about her online, reports RTE.
The court heard she was deeply shocked when the garda investigation revealed Flanagan as the perpetrator.
She described the act as not merely a betrayal of their friendship but a “calculated, predatory act of violence” that left lasting trauma for her and her daughters, reports RTE.
Ms Justice Creedon noted that Flanagan claimed it was “harmless role play” when he was apprehended.
However, she emphasized that the men he communicated with believed the woman had consented to being raped, and he had provided her address, including her Eircode, reports RTE.
The judge described the online discussions related to the endangerment charges involving the woman and her daughters as profoundly graphic and disturbing.
Posing as the woman, Flanagan engaged in conversations about “cannibal scenarios,” describing in explicit detail what could be done to her and her daughters, reports RTE.
In some instances, he sent men Google Street View images of the woman’s home and her usual running route.
The “child pornography” images found on his laptop depicted children aged eight to 15, including one animated image.
During a search of Flanagan’s home and devices, gardaí discovered nearly 700 images of the woman, including 219 digitally altered images showing her gagged, bound, naked, or prepared for “cooking” in cannibalistic scenarios, reports RTE.
The woman and her daughters had considered Flanagan a close family friend.
They had socialized together and attended GAA matches with him.
Ms Justice Creedon highlighted the profound impact of Flanagan’s actions on his victims, reports RTE.
She noted that he had shared intimate details about the three women on a dangerous fetish website, placing them in genuine physical danger.
Their ongoing fear and sense of betrayal persisted, reports RTE.
The judge stated that the victims were traumatized, and the effects of the crimes would be long-lasting.
She referenced a probation report indicating that Flanagan prioritized his own desires over others’ well-being and engaged in distorted thinking to justify his actions, reports RTE.
The judge pointed out that the offending, which spanned from November 2018 to January 2021, was not a fleeting error but a deliberate, calculated act driven by his sexual interests.
She emphasized that, as a garda, he should have been particularly aware of the dangers involved, reports RTE.
The incitement to rape charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Ms Justice Creedon set a headline sentence of ten years, reduced to eight years after considering factors such as his guilty plea, a written apology to the victims, and the challenges he would face in prison as a former garda, reports RTE.
She suspended the final year for a total of three years.
She also imposed concurrent sentences of six years for the endangerment charges and three years for the child pornography offense.
Flanagan’s defense counsel, Breffni Gordon, informed the court that Flanagan had been highly distressed since entering custody in late June and requested that the judge recommend appropriate psychiatric care for him in prison, reports RTE.
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