Coach admits he may have had 30 victims

The sports coach in Waterford being investigated for the abuse of teenagers in the 1980s has admitted he may have abused up to 30 boys.

Last night an interview was broadcast with the man, who is now in 60s, in which his identity was obscured.

He said gardaí first knew about him in 1987 when a boy made a complaint that he had been abused.

He said he was interviewed at that point.

“They suggested counselling which I did and they suggested I retire which I did do,” he told RTÉ.

The man, who coached a team, was asked was there more at the time and he said there was and that “a few of them are married”.

“They didn’t want to come forward,” he said. “I don’t want to involve them.”

The man said he had thought about it every day for the last 25 years but there was not much that could be done.

“As Macbeth says, what’s done is done,” he added. “I never go to underage games or anything like that now. I just stay completely away from underage games.”

He was then asked whether he only stopped because he was caught.

“Hard to say that,” he said. “It was certainly an incentive to anyway, yeah.”

The man has said he has not abused for 25 years.

Two men, who are now in their 40s, have alleged they were aged 14 when the abuse began.

They have also estimated that as many as 30 boys may have been abused during the 1980s and 1990s.

The man has not been charged with any offence. At present, gardaí are involved in a detailed investigation.