Jury to resume deliberations in trial of ex-sports coach

The jury in the trial of a former sports coach accused of abusing four girls over 40 years ago is expected to resume their deliberations today.

The 77-year-old man was originally charged with 79 counts, but pleaded guilty before the jury to five of them.

He pleaded not guilty to a total of 73 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape of four girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jurors have been directed to return not guilty verdicts in respect of 33 counts relating to two complainants.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in various locations in the State on dates between 1971 and 1981. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

The jury had been expected to resume their deliberations yesterday afternoon however, one juror was unavailable.

Mr Justice Mícheál O'Higgins asked the jurors to return today to continue their work.

The man initially faced 29 counts of indecent assault in relation to the first complainant on dates between 1975 and 1977. The jury have been directed to return not guilty verdicts on 16 of these 29 counts.

The counts he pleaded guilty to pertain to a further five counts of indecently assaulting this complainant on dates between May and September 1976.

In relation to the second complainant, the man has denied two counts of indecently assaulting her on dates between 1975 and 1977.

The man denied 41 counts of indecently assaulting the third complainant and one count of attempted rape on dates between 1971 and 1975. Jurors have been directed to return not guilty verdicts on 17 of the indecent assault counts.

He has pleaded not guilty to one count of indecently assaulting the fourth complainant on a date between 1980 and 1981.