Ireland Case No. 7593Indecent assault and attempted rape · Co. Dublin
Former swimming coach George Gibney found guilty of abusing four girls
George Gibney, a 77-year-old former Irish national swimming coach of Altamonte Springs, Florida, was accused of indecently assaulting and attempting to rape four girls at swimming venues and in homes and cars in Dublin between 1971 and 1981. He was extradited from Florida the year before his trial, which began on 23 June 2026 at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, where he pleaded guilty to five counts at the outset. On Monday 6 July 2026 a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape and acquitted him of one count, and he was remanded in continuing custody. A sentence hearing is scheduled for 29 July 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted6 Jul
2 reports - Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- George Gibney is a 77-year-old former Irish national swimming coach.
- The offences are indecent assault and attempted rape of four girls, and the abuse included kissing, inappropriate touching, digital penetration and forced oral sex.
- Where
- The abuse took place at Glenalbyn swimming pool in Stillorgan, at the Trojans swim club in Newpark Sports Centre in Blackrock, Co Dublin, at Gibney's home in Killiney, in his car in South County Dublin and in two complainants' own homes.
- When
- The alleged abuse took place between 1971 and 1981, and one complainant was as young as eight or nine when it started.
- The attempted rape took place in August 1975 in a changing room at Newpark during a swim camp.
- Investigation
- The BBC podcast 'Where is George Gibney', broadcast in 2020, acted as a catalyst for some complainants coming forward.
- Gibney, of Breakwater Drive, Altamonte Springs, Florida, was extradited from Florida the year before the trial to face the allegations.
- Charges
- Gibney faced 79 counts, comprising 78 of indecent assault and one of attempted rape, against four complainants; one report says 74 charges were reduced to 41 counts by direction of the trial judge.
- At the outset of the trial Gibney pleaded guilty to five counts of indecently assaulting one complainant on dates between May and September 1976.
- In court
- The trial began on 23 June 2026 at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin and lasted 11 days.
- The jury deliberated for over seven hours, and 33 counts were directed not guilty for lack of evidence.
- On Monday 6 July 2026 the jury found Gibney guilty of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape, one report says, while another says it returned 40 guilty verdicts.
- The jury acquitted him of one count of indecently assaulting a complainant on a date between 1976 and 1977.
- After the verdicts were read Gibney was remanded in continuing custody and taken to Midlands Prison.
- Sentence
- A sentence hearing is scheduled for 29 July 2026.
39 statements extracted from the articles
- whatGeorge Gibney is a former Irish national swimming coach (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe abuse took the form of kissing, inappropriate touching, digital penetration and forced oral sex (irishtimes.com)
- whatGeorge Gibney is a former Irish national swim coach (dublinlive.ie)
- whatGibney is 77 years old (dublinlive.ie)
- whatGibney was extradited from Florida the previous year (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe abuse included kissing, inappropriate touching, digital penetration and forced oral sex (dublinlive.ie)
- whatOne of the victims was as young as eight or nine when the abuse started (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe BBC podcast 'Where is George Gibney' aired in 2020 and acted as a catalyst for some complainants coming forward (dublinlive.ie)
- whatGibney helped set up Trojan swimming club in 1976 (dublinlive.ie)
- whereGibney lives at Breakwater Drive, Altamonte Springs, Florida (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe abuse took place at various locations including Glenalbyn swimming pool in Stillorgan and Trojans swim club in Newpark Sports Centre, Blackrock, Co Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe attempted rape took place in a changing room at Newpark (irishtimes.com)
- whereGibney also abused some girls in his car, in his home, and in two complainants' own homes (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe abuse allegedly took place at Glenalbyn swimming pool in Stillorgan and Newpark Sports Centre in Blackrock (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe abuse also occurred at Gibney's home in Killiney and in his car in South County Dublin (dublinlive.ie)
- whenHe first abused the first complainant at a club disco when she was aged around 13 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged abuse took place between 1971 and 1981 (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe attempted rape of the third complainant occurred in August 1975 at Newpark during a swim camp (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGibney was extradited from Florida the previous year to face the allegations (irishtimes.com)
- chargeGibney faced 79 counts comprising 78 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape of four complainants (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeGibney pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault of one complainant on dates between May and September 1976 (dublinlive.ie)
- courtA Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury acquitted him of one count of indecent assault on a date between 1976 and 1977 (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe went on trial on 23 June 2026 (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe pleaded guilty to five counts of indecently assaulting one complainant at the outset of the trial (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury deliberated for more than seven hours after an 11-day trial (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe will face a sentence hearing on 29 July 2026 (irishtimes.com)
- courtGibney was found guilty of 12 out of 13 counts of indecently assaulting the first complainant between 1975 and 1977 (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was found guilty of two counts of indecently assaulting the second complainant between 1974 and 1979 when she was aged 11 and 13 (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was convicted of all 25 counts in relation to the third complainant (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was convicted of the sole count of indecently assaulting the fourth complainant between 1980 and 1981 when she was aged 13 (irishtimes.com)
- courtGibney was on trial for 74 charges which were reduced to 41 counts by direction of the trial judge (irishtimes.com)
- courtGibney was remanded in continuing custody until his sentence hearing (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial took place at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe trial lasted 11 days (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe jury deliberated for over seven hours before returning verdicts (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe jury returned 40 guilty verdicts (dublinlive.ie)
- court33 counts were directed not guilty due to an absence of evidence to support them (dublinlive.ie)
- courtGibney was taken to Midlands Prison after the verdicts were read (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Jul2026Alone, no one in court to support him, the full story of the George Gibney trial
Full trial report: 79 original counts reduced to 46 (5 guilty pleas, 33 directed not guilty, 41 for the jury); jury returned 40 guilty verdicts after over seven hours of deliberation; Gibney taken to Midlands Prison.
convicted, George Gibney, 77, male, Irish, named, irishGeorge Gibneyvictim, 13, femalevictim, 13, femalevictim, 8, femalevictim, 13, female - 6 Jul2026Former swimming coach George Gibney found guilty of sexually abusing four girls over 50 years ago
Reports the jury verdict: Gibney convicted of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape, acquitted of one count, with sentencing set for 29 July 2026. Details the locations, ages of complainants, and forms of abuse.
accused, George Gibney, 77, male, named, irish (judged from name)George Gibneyvictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female