Convicted child abuser and former swim coach Matthew Coward released from Irish prison after serving just over two years
A former swimming coach who admitted secretly filming young girls and producing child abuse images has been released from prison after serving just over two years of a three year sentence, days after being hospitalised for punching a wall in his cell.
A pervert swimming coach who secretly filmed young girls has walked free from prison this afternoon. Matthew Coward (35) of Shantalla Drive in Santry, was freed from Dublin’s Arbour Hill, having served just over two years of a three year sentence for sexual exploitation and producing child abuse images.
Coward tripped as he exited the prison, while attempting to cover his face.
He had been handed down the three year sentence in November of 2023 - and was freed due to standard remission. It comes after short tempered Coward, who previously attacked an RTE cameraman, was hospitalised just days ago after punching a wall inside his cell in a moment of anger.
The former Swim Ireland coach secretly set up cameras at his poolside recorded young girls for over a year. He was eventually caught when gardai probed his activities at a swimming complex amid suspicions in 2021 and 2022.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of three girls and three of production of child pornography on dates between September 1, 2021, and February 26, 2022.
At his sentence hearing, Judge Orla Crowe said the offence was “a considerable abuse of trust” towards the children, who she said “worshipped” Coward.
She noted from their victim impact statements the devastating consequences on their young lives and noted that some of the children had been so affected that they had to repeat a year in school.
She said Coward had been “effectively spying” on these three girls, whom he had been training to help reach their “dreams” of becoming professional swimmers, under “a ruse” of getting them to change into this swimming gear.
She said Coward had “violated both their privacy and trust” before she said a headline sentence of six years was warranted in relation to the charges of sexual exploitation and five years in relation to the production of child abuse material.
Matthew Coward (file photo) (Image: Paddy Cummins)
Taking into account Coward’s plea of guilty and expression of remorse, Judge Crowe said she would impose concurrent sentences of four and three years.
The final 12 months of the four-year sentence was suspended on strict terms, including that Coward keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years upon his release from prison.
Garda Sergeant Shane Behan told Mr Condon at the hearing that the first injured party had become upset on the way home from swimming practice and told her father that Coward gave her a pair of “swimming skins” to try on in his office and told her that she would need to get “completely naked” in order to try them on.
19/02/26 - Former swimming coach, Matthew Coward, pictured being released from Arbour Hill Prison this afternoon (Image: Colin Keegan, Collins, Dublin.)
This particular type of swimwear can take up to 20 minutes to put on. The girl noticed a phone propped up in Coward’s office and was worried that it may have recorded her. She also told her father that other swimmers had tried on “skins” in his office over the past number of weeks.
Coward used chairs to section off part of his office for the girls to change in, the court heard. Gda Sgt Behan said the girl’s father called Swim Ireland and spoke with Kate Hills, who was head of safeguarding, who outlined that all coaches are required to undertake safeguarding courses and garda vetting.
The father was told that any conversations that coaches needed to have with anyone under the age of 18 should be had in an “open” environment and not in showers or corridors.
Matthew Coward in 2015 (Image: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE)
The court heard that after speaking with the father of the first victim, Swim Ireland contacted Tusla and the gardaí. Coward was told that he was required to stand down as a coach, and he began to shake and said: “What have I done?”
Gda Sgt Behan said that three search warrants were obtained by gardaí, and Coward was seen driving in an “erratic manner” after leaving the pool, including driving through a red light. Coward had also received a suspended sentence in 2023 for assaulting an RTE cameraman who he attacked as he left court.
Garda Chris Maguire told Dublin District Court that Matthew Coward was in court on 22 December 2022.
Matthew Coward, 35, walked free from Dublin’s Arbour Hill today, having served just over two years of a three year sentence for sexual exploitation and producing child abuse images. (Image: Irish Mirror)
As he left the Criminal Courts of Justice and walked up Infirmary Road, Mr Mac Suibhne followed him while filming on his camera. The garda told the court that Coward "shouldered" Mícheál Mac Suibhne twice and was abusive to him.
Garda Maguire described it as more of a "hit" with the shoulder. Mr Mac Suibhne did not lose his footing, the court, heard but stumbled into a tree and dropped the battery of his camera.
Politics Editor
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
