'Dangerous' Irish tennis coach jailed for child sex offences in the UK
The 33-year-old first came to the police’s attention after he made contact with a specialist covert cop who was posing as a child in January 2023
by Danny De Vaal · Irish MirrorAn Irish tennis coach has been caged for six-and-half-years after he was convicted of multiple child sex offences in the UK.
Sean Francis McGranaghan, 33, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of attempting sexual communication with a child and two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
McGranaghan, who lived at the Mill Apartments in Dromahair in Leitrim, was handed his sentence at Bristol Crown Court following a probe by the UK’s South West Regional Organised Crime Unit.
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He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sexual Offenders Register for life.
Detective Inspector David Wells, from SWROCU's Online Investigations Team, said: "Sean McGranaghan is a dangerous individual who has never admitted any liability for his heinous crimes."
He continued: "The judge handed him a significant custodial sentence in response to this and I am pleased he will no longer pose a risk to children whilst incarcerated."
McGranaghan first came to the police’s attention after he made contact with a specialist covert cop who was posing as a child in January 2023.
He then went on the Metropolitan Police’s radar when he began contact with another officer who he also believed was a child.
SWROCU Officers nabbed the sexual predator in Gatwick Airport in May 2023. SWROCU said that he was not travelling from Ireland when he was arrested at Gatwick Airport.
McGranaghan then lived in the UK on bail while awaiting his trial.
The 33-year-old had worked as a tennis coach in the northwest of Ireland in recent years but there are no indications of inappropriate conduct at Sligo Tennis Club.
Sligo Tennis Club issued a statement to members in which it said it had been "advised by Tennis Ireland that Sean McGranaghan, who previously coached at our club [September 2021-December 2022] has been convicted and sentenced to six and a half years in prison in England."
The statement added that the club was "working to identify the children who attended coaching groups during the time Mr McGranaghan was coaching. We will be making every effort to contact all parents in due course."
They also stressed they "would like to take this opportunity to reassure all members that our club adheres strictly to all safeguarding requirements set forth by Sport Ireland, Tennis Ireland, Badminton Ireland and Irish Squash."
The club went on to say McGranaghan was garda vetted and “had all appropriate Tennis Ireland coaching qualifications requirements."
Cops also confirmed that it engaged with the Gardai regarding the case.
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