# Sentencing of George Gibney for child sexual abuse

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sentencing-of-george-gibney-for-child-sexual-abuse
> Updated: 2026-10-13T13:35:04.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

George Gibney, a former Irish Olympic swimming coach, has been sentenced to 15.5 years in prison for the sexual abuse of children. The 78-year-old was convicted of 39 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape involving victims aged between 8 and 13 during the 1970s and 1980s.

Judge Micheál P O’Higgins characterized Gibney as a “manipulative predator” who exploited his position of authority to target children in various locations, including his home, vehicle, and office. While Gibney faced similar charges in 1993, those proceedings were halted by the Supreme Court due to the statute of limitations, and he later obtained an injunction to prevent prosecution for 27 sexual offences before fleeing the country.

The case was reopened following a 2020 BBC podcast, ‘Where is George Gibney?’, which assisted investigators in locating him in Florida. After his arrest in the United States in 2025, he was extradited to Ireland to face trial.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-13: George Gibney sentenced to 15.5 years for sexual abuse

Former Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney has been sentenced to 15.5 years in prison for the sexual abuse of four girls during the 1970s and 1980s.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/george-gibney-sentenced-to-155-years-for-sexual-abuse

### 2026-10-11: George Gibney sentenced to 15.5 years for child sexual abuse

Former Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney has been sentenced to 15.5 years in prison for the sexual abuse of girls aged 8-13 during the 1970s and 1980s.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/george-gibney-faces-sentencing-for-decades-of-child-abuse

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Cite as: Sentencing of George Gibney for child sexual abuse. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sentencing-of-george-gibney-for-child-sexual-abuse