Concern over release of coach who abused girls

Former Irish international swimming coach Derry O'Rourke had "served his full sentence" and anyone who had been "watching the case" would have been aware of his imminent release from prison, a spokesman for the Prison Service said yesterday.

Reacting to controversy over O'Rourke's planned release from Midlands Prison this Thursday, the spokesman said there was "never early release for a sex offender".

O'Rourke (59), married with six children, of Edenderry, Co Offaly, was jailed for 12 years in January 1998 for sexual offences against young female swimmers he coached.

He pleaded guilty to 29 charges relating to 11 girls and covering offences of unlawful carnal knowledge of girls under the age of 15, and of sexual assault and indecent assault, from 1976 to 1992. The full indictment had 90 charges.

Sentences were imposed on 27 charges, totalling 109 years. The longest terms were two of 12 years for unlawful carnal knowledge. There was one each of seven and five years, and eight terms of six years each for indecent assault, five terms of three years for sexual assaults, and 10 terms of one year for other indecent assaults. These sentences ran concurrently.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre yesterday expressed its "extreme concern" at the manner in which O'Rourke's release was being handled. Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop, chief executive of the centre, said O'Rourke had caused untold damage to children in his care.

"He had been suitably punished and imprisoned for the wrongs he had done. Why now has his sentence been shortened? Will he be on the sex offenders' list? What guarantee have we that his whereabouts and behaviour will be monitored?"

She said the victims of his crimes should have been informed of his impending release. "We read reports on the recommendations for victim support. One of the basic recommendations is that the gardaí inform a victim when a perpetrator in a sexual crime is going to be released from prison. This is not happening."

A Garda spokeswoman said it was not a matter for gardaí to inform victims of the operations of the Prison Service.

The Prison Service spokesman insisted O'Rourke had not been granted early release. He said all prisoners were entitled to have 25 per cent remission of their sentences for good behaviour.

"Twenty five per cent off 12 years is nine years and that is what he served. Anyone watching his case would have known his release was coming up," the spokesman added.

He said it was not policy to go to victims of sexual assaults to tell them of the release of the perpetrator. In some cases the victims were not known to the Prison Service, such as when they were not named publicly, while in other cases victims may not wish to be reminded of the crime.

The service had a victim liaison officer, he said, and if a victim told the officer they wanted to be informed of a release they would be contacted.