Disgraced Australian swim coach Dick Caine has died weeks after a court confirmed he sexually assaulted and raped young female athletes in the 1970s and 1980s.
Caine, who was in palliative care for terminal cancer, was 78 years old.
After being inducted into the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in early 2022, Caine was removed a few months later after he was arrested in June, facing nine counts of sexual abuse. The charges continued to pile up—in September 2022, Caine was facing 27 charges, including 13 counts of “carnal knowledge teacher of girl aged 10-17 years,” and the number continued to climb to 39 charges.
Due to his declining health, Caine was excused from answering for the allegations directly and never faced trial.
During a special hearing in August 2024, a District Judge ruled that Caine committed 39 offenses, including rape and indecent assault. The incidents took place at Carss Park pool in south Sydney, along with in his car and his home.
The court heard that one of Caine’s victims had Olympic and Commonwealth Games aspirations that were dashed due to his abuse. Another said she was a virgin and had never kissed a boy when Caine raped her.
The court also heard that a number of the victims were afraid of Caine due to his authority and coaching style.
One victim made a graphic account of her having her hands tied, and afterward remembering seeing a used condom next to the bed. Prosecutors said the account was “so detailed and so compelling” that it must be true.
Lawyers for Caine had argued that the evidence related to incidents that took place around 50 years ago was unreliable.
However, NSW District Court Judge Paul McGuire found the evidence to be reliable despite the significant amount of time that had passed since the incidents.
“I am satisfied that each of the elements of each of the offences has been established beyond reasonable doubt,” McGuire said.
Caine was due to be sentenced on December 6.
