Ex-Olympic swim coach George Gibney appears in US court ‘facing in excess of 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 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.
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