A man who falsely reported to gardaí that his car had been stolen because his insurance policy did not cover a crash he had three days previously has been remanded for sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Gavin Kirwan (33), Woodford Court, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty yesterday to knowingly making a false report regarding a car theft at Rutland Street, Dublin, in April 2003. A charge of attempting to defraud Alliance Insurance of €11,000 was taken into account.
Judge Miriam Reynolds remanded Kirwan on continuing bail for sentencing to allow for the preparation of a probation report to assess his suitability for community service. She said Kirwan had either "great stupidity or blinding arrogance" if he thought he was going to get away with it.
Garda Aileen Kenny agreed with Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that there was no suggestion of Kirwan being involved in an organised insurance fraud ring.
Garda Kenny said that after Kirwan's report, she noticed from the Garda computer system that the same car had been involved in a collision three days earlier.
Kirwan had the car insured with Alliance Insurance and when he realised that the crash would not be covered, he reported the car as stolen to cover his loss.
Garda Kenny said Alliance would have lost €11,000 if the claim had succeeded but gardaí brought the company's attention to the false report and it agreed not to proceed with the claim until the case had been dealt with.
Kirwan was convicted for dangerous driving and refusing to give a urine or blood sample after the crash and was disqualified from driving for two years.