Sean Francis McGranaghan (33) of Mill Apartments, Dromahair, Co Leitrim was sentenced to six-and-a-half-years at Bristol Crown Court on August 22, 2024.
He pleaded not guilty to two counts of attempting sexual communication with a child, and two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
The case went to trial where a jury found McGranaghan guilty on all counts.
Mr McGranaghan previously worked at four tennis clubs in the Northwest of Ireland over a period of 18 months.
He worked for over a year from September 2021 to December 2022 at Sligo Tennis Club while he also worked at Butthall Tennis Club in Ballybofey Co Donegal, Manorhamilton in Co Leitrim and Castlebar in Co Mayo.
He worked as an assistant coach and was never a head coach at any club in Ireland.
CEO of Tennis Ireland, Kevin Quinn said the organisation is not aware of any reports of inappropriate behaviour in Ireland in relation to McGranaghan.
However, he acknowledged it is an ‘evolving situation’ and club members and families are still being contacted.
Sligo Tennis Club issued a statement to members informing members of the details of the convictions and added there was no indication that any inappropriate conduct occurred at the club.
The club is currently working to identify the children who attended coaching groups during the time Mr McGranaghan was a coach.
McGranaghan first came to the attention of the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) in January 2023 having made contact online with who he thought was a child but was actually a specialist covert officer.
Later that year, he also came to the attention of covert officers within the Metropolitan Police area, again communicating online with who he believed was a real child.
A spokesperson for the unit said McGranaghan was arrested at Gatwick Airport in May 2023 by SWROCU officers from the Online Investigations Team.
This team works alongside a national network of undercover officers tackling offences online, including child sexual abuse and exploitation.
DI David Wells from SWROCU Online Investigations Team said, “McGranaghan is a dangerous individual who has never admitted any liability for his heinous crimes.
“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 was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sexual Offenders Register for life.
Kevin Quinn, CEO of Tennis Ireland said the organisation was informed of the conviction at the beginning of the month and set up a working group to liaise with the clubs involved.
Mr Quinn said McGranaghan had gone through his Garda vetting and further verification checks before being granted a licence in Ireland.
“He came across our radar in July 2021 when we would have helped process his Garda vetting application and following that he would have undertaken an assimilation process which is what we do for all coaches who have other international coaching qualifications.
“Sean had worked in the UK for years and had level three Lawn Tennis Association qualification.
“The assimilation process is essentially for us to verify who he is, that he does have the qualification he says and that he was a person of particular standing to work with children and adults.
“This process gave him a Tennis Ireland level two coaching qualification and he did not get that licence until October 2021.
“We had two independent coaches verify him in terms of his appropriateness too – one head coach who worked with him for two years in the UK and another, seven years in the UK before he was granted a licence here.
“Our information is that he left in January 2023. In terms of one of the clubs, he said he had to go back to the UK for personal reasons and he was never heard from again,” said Mr Quinn.
Mr Quinn said he believes the organisation carried out all of the relevant vetting and verification steps when granting McGranaghan a licence but said they will review the process and identify if any additional steps could be added in the future.
“We are definitely going to look at everything we have done in the past. There was nothing else we could have done at the time but could we change that now? Could we out another step in?
“Is there something else we could do in the future and what learnings can we take out of this?
“I think it is important that than rather saying we did everything by the book – which we did – but can we improve things? Always, and we will look at how to do that,” said Mr Quinn.
Mr Quinn said any parent or club member who are worried about the situation are advised to contact their tennis club or Tennis Ireland.
“Take all the information into account and please contact your local club or Tennis Ireland.
“We are not aware of any inappropriate behaviour relating to Sean here but if there are any concerns contact your club but if any issue arises, contact the appropriate regulatory bodies such as Tusla and Gardaí.
“There will also be local regulatory support that can give simple advice if your child was involved in a coaching class but a parent has no concerns but is also interested in raising the question with the child, then there will be professional support available on how to bring the subject up.
“That support is available from the HSE or the health board,” said Mr Quinn.
Mr Quinn said it is reassuring to see the high level of safeguarding being carried out in the clubs involved.
“We take safeguarding incredibly seriously and it is critical and crucial that these policies are followed through at all clubs.
“We have 10 requirements for safeguarding and number 10 is around ensuring that no coach is ever on their own on a court with members.
“What is so reassuring is that the clubs take this very seriously and reinforce the policy.
“We first learned of Sean’s conviction at the beginning of the month but rather than just contacting the clubs we knew he worked for, we took it upon ourselves to contact all the clubs in the North West to make sure they knew of the conviction.
“We are not aware of any inappropriate behaviour relating to Sean at this stage but obviously it is evolving and we are still contacting people and making sure that we get information out there,” said Mr Quinn.