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Former swimming coach George Gibney arrested in US

Former swimming coach George Gibney arrested in US

RTÉ News​2 days ago
Former Irish national swimming coach George Gibney has been arrested in the United States.
Mr Gibney, who is now in his 70s, is wanted in Ireland to face over 50 historical sexual abuse charges.
He was arrested in Florida by US Marshals on foot of an Irish extradition warrant.
He is being detained pending a court appearance and can decide whether to accede or contest his extradition.
Gardaí reopened their investigation into the former swimming coach after a number of people made allegations against him on a BBC podcast over five years ago.
A specialist team within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau began a criminal investigation in 2020 and a file was sent to the DPP three years later.
The Sexual Crime Management Unit within the Garda Protective Services Bureau, which specialises in investigating difficult, historic and high-profile cases of sexual abuse, conducted the investigation.
The DPP examined the file and subsequently recommended that Mr Gibney be charged with more than fifty alleged offences.
Gardaí then secured an extradition warrant in the High Court seeking Mr Gibney's extradition and have been working with the US authorities for over six months.
Mr Gibney left Ireland 30 years ago after he secured a judicial review halting his prosecution on previous charges.
He was previously charged in April 1993 with 27 counts of indecency and having carnal knowledge of girls under the age of 15.
He was the coach at Trojan swimming club in Dublin and a former Irish national swimming coach.
He took a judicial review in the High Court and in July 1994 secured an injunction preventing the DPP from prosecuting him on those charges.
He left the country and first moved to Scotland to train young swimmers there before moving on to the US.
A second garda investigation in 1997 did not result in a prosecution.
Following the broadcast of the BBC podcast 'Where is George Gibney' in 2020, in which a number of alleged victims told their stories, gardaí began a new investigation.
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