Former Olympic swimming coach George Gibney appears in US court and may face more than 50 charges
Former Olympic swimming coach George Gibney has appeared before a US court in relation to more than 50 charges, including some for alleged indecent assault.
He was arrested in Florida on foot an extradition request from gardaí who have been investigating him for alleged child abuse.
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former Irish swimming coach George Gibney faces 79 sexual abuse charges
Former Irish national swimming coach George Gibney faces 79 charges relating to the alleged sexual abuse of four girls after being arrested in the US. The Olympic team coach was arrested by US Marshalls in Florida on Tuesday afternoon on foot of an extradition request by gardaí. He is accused of 78 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape. Gibney coached the four alleged victims in the 1970s and 1980s, when they were between the ages of eight and 15, according to the complaint lodged with the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Orlando). Next week, the former coach, who is in his 70s, is due before a Florida court where he will accede or contest his extradition. The court filings say the four women made complaints to gardaí between 2020 and 2022. The complaints came after the BBC podcast Where is George Gibney? re-examined the story of the Olympic coach charged with child sexual abuse but never stood trial. In 1993, the former coach at the Trojan swimming club in Dublin faced 27 charges of indecency against young swimmers. However, the prosecution was successfully halted. His lawyers argued there was a delay in the offences coming out and a lack of precision defining the specific alleged incidents. This legal challenge ended up in the Supreme Court which ruled in his favour. The charges that Gibney is now facing are in relation to different instances of alleged abuse than the charges in 1993. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Following the case over 30 years ago, the former swimming coach fled Ireland and spent some time in Scotland before moving to the US, where he has been living since. An investigation was then reopened by gardaí following the 2020 BBC podcast documentary and a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions three years later. Last year, the DPP decided he should face charges in connection with allegedly abusing children that were in his care when he was a swimming coach. Gardaí then secured an extradition warrant in the High Court and it's understood they have been working with US authorities for the last six months.
The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
Former Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney to appear before Florida court next week
FORMER IRISH OLYMPIC swimming coach George Gibney will appear before a Florida court in the US next week, following his arrest last night. Gardaí have been investigating fresh allegations that Gibney sexually abused multiple children in his care while working as a swimming coach in Ireland decades ago. He was arrested by US Marshals on foot of an Irish extradition warrant yesterday. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the arrest shows the importance of judicial cooperation with the United States this morning. He paid tribute to gardaí for diligent police work. A specialist unit within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau launched a detailed inquiry after a garda probe was reopened in 2020 when several people made allegations on a BBC and Second Captains podcast titled 'Where is George Gibney?' . Speaking to reporters during a trade mission to Japan, Martin said: 'I think we all listened to the podcast. I think it's important that we have an agreement with the US – gardaí have been working very diligently and in a detailed way, I have no doubt. 'We will await the next step now,' he added. After a three-year investigation, a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who recommended charging Gibney. Gardaí said that they are aware of the arrest of a male aged in his 70s in the United States on the foot of an international warrant. Advertisement 'As this is currently a matter for the US authorities, An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further at this time,' a spokesperson said. Gibney was the founder of the Trojan Swimming Club in Blackrock in Dublin, where he also worked as a coach. He was also the Irish national swimming coach until 1991. Now aged in his 70s, he was previously charged with 27 sexual offences in 1993, which were dropped in 1994 after Gibney a High Court injunction, preventing the DPP from prosecuting him. Gibney then left Ireland for Scotland, where he continued to work as a swimming coach. He has lived in the United States since 1995. In 1997, a garda investigation into Gibney was opened after fresh allegations were made against him. A probe was reopened in 2020 following the BBC and Second Captains' ten-part investigative podcast series. The series centred on the survivors of sexual abuse by Gibney and gardaí commenced a new investigation after its publication. A number of alleged victims came forward following an appeal was issued for people with any information to come forward. The DPP would be free to seek Gibney's extradition from the US if it were to proceed with charges. With reporting by Andrew Walsh and Christina Finn in Japan Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Ex-Olympic swim coach George Gibney appears in US court ‘facing in excess of 50 charges'
He was arrested in Florida on foot of an extradition request from gardaí who have been investigating him for alleged child abuse Former Olympic swimming coach George Gibney has appeared before a US court in relation to more than 50 charges, including some for alleged indecent assault. He was arrested in Florida on foot of an extradition request from gardaí who have been investigating him for alleged child abuse. Sources said he is facing in excess of 50 charges and many of those will relate to alleged indecent assault. He was arrested at a residence in the US state. It is understood he has been remanded in custody. His arrest comes three decades after he successfully challenged previous attempt to prosecute him for alleged child sexual abuse and subsequently fled to the US. Gibney, who is now his in seventies, was subjected to a new investigation by the garda's specialist Sexual Crime Management team after a BBC podcast led to a string of fresh complaints, many dating back decades. Gardaí submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in late 2023, highlighting at least 50 allegations of abuse. The DPP directed that Gibney should be charged. Gardaí requested his extradition from the US State Department late last year, it is understood, in a protracted process involving significant paperwork that has only now concluded. US authorities notified gardaí of Gibney's arrest this evening. It is expected that he will appear in court imminently. Gibney was previously tracked down to a bungalow in Orlando, Florida, by the podcast Where is George Gibney. It appeared he was living far away from the storm over sexual abuse allegations that the BBC production had re-opened. But when confronted by the makers of the podcast, he declined to answer questions about alleged sexual abuse. Gibney coached children with the Trojan swimming club in Dublin in the 1980s and the 1980s. He was a high-profile sports figure who regularly appeared in Irish media, until he was exposed for allegedly sexually abusing children. He appeared before Dún Laoghaire District Court in April 1993 charged with 27 counts of indecency against young swimmers and of having carnal knowledge of girls under the age of 15. George Gibney relocated to Florida Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 2nd The prosecution was halted after he successfully took a judicial review arguing that the delay in the offences coming to court would deny him a fair trial and also highlighting the lack of precision around specific alleged incidents. The Supreme Court found in Gibney's favour, after which Gibney moved to Scotland and later to the US. He continued to coach children in the US, working for a swimming club in Colorado but he lost his job after details of his past allegations in Dublin emerged. He stayed in the US and worked in various non-swimming related roles. His extradition will be welcomed by the many former swimmers who came forward with their experiences to gardaí after the BBC podcast placed Gibney under renewed scrutiny.
