Dick Caine, a former Australian Olympic swim coach convicted of raping and sexually abusing six female students, has died.
The 78-year-old coach, who was receiving palliative care for terminal cancer, passed away on Wednesday morning.
Caine had been found guilty of 39 offenses committed against teenage girls in the 1970s and 1980s.
The assaults took place at a swimming pool in Sydney, as well as in Caine’s home and car.
The victims were due to deliver their victim impact statements at a special hearing in December, but this is now unlikely to proceed due to his death.
During the conviction hearing, District Judge Paul McGuire noted the power imbalance between Caine and the young girls, who relied on him to achieve their swimming goals.
One of the victims was only 10 years old at the time of the abuse.
Caine, who was arrested in 2022, did not appear for any of his court hearings due to his deteriorating health.
He had been the head coach at Carss Park swimming pool in Sydney for over four decades, training several Olympic and world champion swimmers.
Child protection activist Hetty Johnston expressed disappointment that the special hearing would no longer take place, as the victims had waited for decades for their day in court.
She described the situation as a tragedy, emphasizing the long delay in the legal process.
