'Serial child abuser' Derry O'Rourke jailed for 10 years for rape and sexual abuse of teenage girl

Sexual assaults took place 35 years ago when O'Rourke was coaching the then 13-year-old girl, court heard

The court heard O’Rourke singled the girl out as a potential member of his swim team at the school and set up an individual training schedule for her. He abused her in a room off the pool, known as the float room, on the pretext of carrying out muscle checks. File picture

Former international swimming coach and serial child abuser Derry O’Rourke has been jailed for 10 years for the rape and sexual assault of a young teenager 35 years ago.

O’Rourke, 78, of Virgina Road, Cavan, had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of rape and 15 counts of indecent assault in a Leinster school the girl attended on dates between October 1989 and June 1990. The complainant was between 13 and 14 years old at the time.