George Gibney: US court orders extradition of former swimming coach to Ireland to face sex crime charges
George Gibney
, the former Irish Olympic swimming team coach, be handed over to the
US
Marshall's service and extradited to Ireland to face historic sex crime charges.
Judge Daniel Irick, of the Orlando Division of the District Court in Florida, made the order after receipt of an affidavit signed by the 77-year-old in which he said he had received legal advice and had decided not to challenge his extradition.
Mr Gibney asked the court 'to expedite my return, in custody, to Ireland'.
Judge Irick, in response, and after being told in open court that Mr Gibney had voluntarily decided to waive his right to an extradition hearing, ordered that he be delivered into the custody of the US Marshall's service.
READ MORE
This was, he said, 'pending arrival of the duly authorised representatives of the Government of Ireland, at which time the United States Marshall shall deliver him to the custody of such representative to be transported to Ireland to be held for trial'.
The extradition of Mr Gibney, who has been in custody in Florida since July 1st, to the State will now proceed and he is likely to appear before a Dublin court in the near future.
The
Garda
Press Office has been asked for comment.
Mr Gibney is accused of 78 charges of indecent assault and one of attempted rape. The alleged victims were aged between eight and 14 or 15 years when they say they were abused by Mr Gibney, who was their swimming coach in south Dublin, at different times between 1971 and 1981.
In 1993, Mr Gibney appeared before the courts in Dublin charged with 27 sexual crimes. However, he took a High Court challenge to his prosecution and was successful. The court effectively ruled in 1994 that the allegations were too old, and many details were too vague, to warrant a prosecution.
However, legal norms and legislation have since changed in Ireland, meaning the prosecution of historical sexual crimes now regularly occurs. Suspects in historical cases no longer have the grounds they once did to avoid prosecution.
Mr Gibney left Ireland in the 1990s, settling in the US, and remained there for the past 30 years, residing in Florida in recent years.
However, between 2020 and 2022 the BBC-Second Captains podcast, entitled Where is George Gibney?, prompted the four women now accusing him to give statements to the Garda.
A fresh criminal investigation began, with the Director of Public Prosecutions directing in May 2023 that he should face 79 charges, with arrest warrants issued by the courts in Dublin.
Last October, the Irish embassy in Washington formally made a request to the US authorities to arrest Mr Gibney for the purpose of extraditing him to the Republic to stand trial.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
DJ Carey conspicuously absent from Kilkenny jubilee celebration
FORMER GAA STAR DJ Carey has missed a celebration marking his county's All-Ireland victory 25 years ago. It comes after he pleaded guilty earlier this month to inducing people to give him money after fraudulently claiming to have cancer. Carey, 54, is one of the most acclaimed figures in GAA history, having won five All-Ireland titles and nine All-Star awards. When he retired from inter-county hurling in 2006, he was hailed as an 'idol' for young players and a legend of the game. Ahead of today's All-Ireland Hurling Final, the Kilkenny senior hurling championship-winning team which Carey was a part of in 2000 was celebrated at Croke Park. But the announcer said that Carey was 'not with us today' as he remained absent from the team lining out on the pitch as part of the celebration. Advertisement Carey appeared in court in late 2023 charged with 21 counts under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, at which point a four-week trial was expected to take place this year. At the Circuit Court in the Criminal Courts of Justice on July 2, his legal team told the court that a jury would not be required before he pleaded guilty to 10 counts. Carey, dressed in a suit and wearing a patterned tie, spoke only to plead 'guilty' to the 10 charges during the brief appearance. It was put to him that he induced various people, at dates between 2014 and 2022, to make a monetary payment to him after fraudulently claiming to have cancer and needing finances to obtain treatment, with the intention of making a gain to him and causing a loss to another. The court heard from Carey's defence team that while cancer was referred to in the indictment, Carey 'does have very genuine health conditions' and required surgery for a heart condition last year. A sentencing date has been set for October 29 and Carey was remanded on bail until then. Written by Press Association and posted on
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Disgraced hurler DJ Carey absent from honours as name rings out over Croke Park
Carey was man-of-the-match in his side's All-Ireland final win over Offaly in 2000 A short citation was read out about him yesterday while his Kilkenny Jubilee team-mates were celebrated in front of a large crowd at GAA HQ. Above, Carey at the Courts of Criminal Justice in Dublin The Kilkenny Jubilee Team were honoured before throw-in on All-Ireland SHC final day, but star player DJ Carey was conspicuous by his absence with some boos ringing out from Hill 16 when his name was called out over the tannoy. Carey was man-of-the-match in his side's All-Ireland final win over Offaly in 2000 having given yet another scintillating scoring display, but he has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks and months. Carey pleaded guilty on July 3 to ten counts of defrauding a number of people out of money while pretending that he had cancer and needed finances to obtain treatment. There was some debate whether the five-time All-Ireland SHC winner would be in attendance at Croke Park today. The GAA had been silent on the matter despite queries from the Irish Independent during the past week. One businessman who was defrauded out of thousands of euro warned it would be '100pc wrong' to honour the disgraced hurler in Croke Park. Noel Tynan, owned of The Celt bar in Dublin, said: 'He's a criminal… full stop and just because he won five All Irelands and nine All Stars, it doesn't change things. "The bottom line is he purposely set out to defraud people.' Mr Tynan added: 'He came across as such a humble fella but he was setting me up. It was a form of grooming. "The All Star, The All Ireland winner and then to use that and say you had cancer, it's just unforgiveable and there's no excuse for him.' Carey was man-of-the-match in his side's All-Ireland final win over Offaly in 2000 Carey was remanded on bail following his court appearance earlier this month. He is due to be sentenced on October 29. Ultimately 54-year-old Carey was not present at Croke Park today, although there was a short citation read out about him while his team-mates were celebrated in front of a large crowd at GAA HQ. There was some jeering when his name was read out by master of ceremonies, TG4 commentator Mac Dara Mac Donncha. Carey was not the only one absent with All-Ireland-winning manager Brian Cody also missing out due to a pre-planned holiday. Goalkeeper James McGarry, Cody's right-hand man as coach for several of his All-Ireland successes following retirement, was also absent. However captain Willie O'Connor and Irish Independent columnist Eddie Brennan were among the star-studded squad on show. A short citation was read out about him yesterday while his Kilkenny Jubilee team-mates were celebrated in front of a large crowd at GAA HQ. Above, Carey at the Courts of Criminal Justice in Dublin Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 20th
The Journal
7 hours ago
- The Journal
DJ Carey conspicuously absent from Kilkenny jubilee celebration
FORMER GAA STAR DJ Carey has missed a celebration marking his county's All-Ireland victory 25 years ago. It comes after he pleaded guilty earlier this month to inducing people to give him money after fraudulently claiming to have cancer. Carey, 54, is one of the most acclaimed figures in GAA history, having won five All-Ireland titles and nine All-Star awards. When he retired from inter-county hurling in 2006, he was hailed as an 'idol' for young players and a legend of the game. Ahead of today's All-Ireland Hurling Final, the Kilkenny senior hurling championship-winning team which Carey was a part of in 2000 was celebrated at Croke Park. Advertisement But the announcer said that Carey was 'not with us today' as he remained absent from the team lining out on the pitch as part of the celebration. Carey appeared in court in late 2023 charged with 21 counts under the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, at which point a four-week trial was expected to take place this year. At the Circuit Court in the Criminal Courts of Justice on July 2, his legal team told the court that a jury would not be required before he pleaded guilty to 10 counts. Carey, dressed in a suit and wearing a patterned tie, spoke only to plead 'guilty' to the 10 charges during the brief appearance. It was put to him that he induced various people, at dates between 2014 and 2022, to make a monetary payment to him after fraudulently claiming to have cancer and needing finances to obtain treatment, with the intention of making a gain to him and causing a loss to another. The court heard from Carey's defence team that while cancer was referred to in the indictment, Carey 'does have very genuine health conditions' and required surgery for a heart condition last year. A sentencing date has been set for October 29 and Carey was remanded on bail until then.
