Former Ireland National Coach George Gibney Jailed for 15 and a Half Years for Sexual Abuse

Photo Courtesy: Dan D'Addona

Irish Former Swim Coach George Gibney Jailed for 15 and a Half Years for Sexual Abuse

Irish former coach George Gibney has been sentenced to 15 and a half years for sexually abusing girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

In July, a jury found him guilty of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape.

Judge Micheál P O’Higgin called Gibney a “manipulative predator,” who had ingratiated himself with the children under his care.

“It was predatory in nature and a gross breach of trust,” he said. “He used his coaching role to access and assault defenceless children under his care.”

Speaking to reporters outside the court and reported in The Guardian, survivor Orla Poole said she had spent “decades in silence” because of his actions. “I thought I was the only one, that somehow, I deserved what he did to me.”

She added: “The only guilt for what we went through lies with the convicted paedophile. When you are ready and able, unburden yourself by talking to someone from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, One In Four, a therapist, a trusted friend or even the gardaí.”

Gibney founded the Trojan club in south Dublin and coached emerging talent at pools around the Irish capital. He was also the national Olympic coach at Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988 during a tenure that lasted from 1984-91.

However, allegations of abuse emerged and Gibney faced criminal charges of indecency involving swimmers in 1993. But the prosecution was interrupted by judicial review given the time since the alleged offences, and Gibney fled the country while appeals were made. He was investigated again in the late 1990s without charges being brought.

A BBC documentary in 2020 brought new light to the case, with victims coming forward for the first time. It pressured the Garda – the national police and security service of the Republic of Ireland – to reopen investigations, leading to the charges that resulted in the convictions in July.

Swim Ireland released a statement, saying:

“Swim Ireland acknowledges the sentencing of George Gibney following his conviction on multiple counts of indecent assault and of the attempted rape against young swimmers entrusted to his care. Our thoughts are with the survivors and their families. We recognise the immense courage shown by those who came forward, shared their experiences, and participated in a lengthy and difficult legal process. No swimmer, child or family should ever experience such harm within our sport.

“Swim Ireland’s supports remain available to the survivors in this case, and to anyone else impacted by abuse in swimming. The Swim Ireland ‘Here to Listen’ section of our website details who to speak to and the supports available. These supports remain available to any survivor, family member, or member of the swimming community affected by this case, whether or not they have engaged with the legal process.”

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