FORMER Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney appeared before an American court in a wheelchair today where he agreed to be extradited back to Ireland to face historical sexual abuse charges.
The 77-year-old faces 78 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape against four girls aged between the ages of eight and 14 at the time of the alleged offences.
Mr Gibney was required to appear in court before Judge Daniel C Irick at the US Middle District Court in Orlando for a hearing on his continued detention.
But Judge Irick said “things have changed” and confirmed he had accepted Mr Gibney’s signed affidavit which had been lodged overnight.
The judge went through each line of the document with Mr Gibney, who was wheeled into court wearing a navy Orange County jumpsuit, to confirm that he understood what he had signed.
After confirming under oath his name, Mr Gibney responded: “Yes”, when asked by the judge: “Do you admit you are the individual whom charges are pending against?”
He also told Judge Irick that he did not have any medical condition or mental issue, but said he was taking medication for “high blood pressure and things like that”.
His US Assistant Public Defender Aisha Nash said Mr Gibney was “in desperate need of glasses” but that he understood he was waiving his right to a hearing and consenting to extradition.
When asked by the judge if he understood that he could challenge the request to have him extradited and face the charges, Gibney replied: “Oh, I will.”
His attorney clarified to her client that while he could challenge the case against him in Ireland, he could not do so in the US, to which Gibney confirmed that he understood.
On Thursday night, Mr Gibney, with an address in Altamont Springs Orlando, submitted an affidavit to the court, dated July 9, stating he was advised of his rights by his attorney and had agreed to waive them.
In the affidavit he asked the court “to expedite my return, in custody, to Ireland”.
WAIVER OF RIGHTS
The document reads: “I admit that I am the individual against whom charges are pending in Ireland and for whom process is outstanding there.
“I fully understand that in the absence of a waiver of my rights, I cannot be compelled to return to Ireland unless and until a court in the United States issues a ruling certifying my extradition and the Secretary of State of the United States issues a warrant of surrender.”
Mr Gibney went on to state that he has reviewed the complaint against him and that he fully understands his right to a hearing “at which my counsel and I could challenge the extradition request presented by the Government of Ireland”.
‘WAIVE MY RIGHTS’
But added: “I hereby waive my rights under the extradition treaty and the applicable sections of Title 18 of the United States Code, and agree to be transported in custody, as soon as possible, to Ireland, and to remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending the arrival of duly authorised representatives from Ireland.”
Once details of his flights and his court appearance in Ireland have been arranged, he will be brought back to Ireland by the Garda Extradition Unit.
Two officers from the unit will travel to the US to bring him back to the capital.
Before moving to America in 1995, Gibney was charged with 27 crimes against children.
He took a High Court case against the charges and in 1994, the High Court and Supreme Court both ruled the allegations were “too old” and the charges were struck out.
