Australian Olympic swimming coach Dick Caine has died, weeks after he was found guilty of raping and sexually abusing six female students.

Caine, who had been in palliative care for terminal cancer, died on Wednesday morning, the BBC understands. He was 78.

Caine was charged with 39 offences committed against the teenage girls in the 1970s and 1980s. The assaults took place at a swimming pool in Sydney, in his home and in his car.

The six victims were due to deliver their victim impact statements at a special hearing in December, but this is unlikely to go ahead due to Caine’s death.

Caine took an interest in pre-pubescent and pubescent girls, District Judge Paul McGuire said during his conviction hearing in August. One of his victims was only 10 years old at the time.

The judge noted the power imbalance between Caine and the young girls due to his authority and their age differences, adding that the girls relied on Caine to help them achieve their swimming aspirations.

Caine, who was arrested in 2022, did not appear for a single day of his hearing because he was deemed unfit to do so. A court previously heard he had terminal lung and throat cancer.

According to reports, Caine was the head coach at Carss Park swimming pool in Sydney for more than 40 years until he retired in 2018. He trained several Olympic and world champion swimmers, including Michelle Ford, Janelle Elford and Stacey Gartrell.

Child protection activist Hetty Johnston said it was disappointing that the special hearing in December will no longer proceed, as the victims had waited decades for their day in court, according to an ABC report.

“The whole thing is just a tragedy that it took so long to get to this point of the legal process, that he’s now passed,” she said.