Scott Volkers was accused of indecently dealing with a two teenage girls in the Brisbane suburbs of Aspley and Bald Hills during the 1980s.

The former coach to some of Australia’s swimming stars was 26 at the time and the girls were swimmers aged 13 and 12.

Volkers was arrested over the alleged offending against the younger girl in March 2002 and charged in June that year with offences relating to the older girl.

Swimmers he had coached, and some parents, made statements in part to the effect that Volkers didn’t have the chance to leave the pool deck during training sessions, that he didn’t do so, and so couldn’t have been able to commit at least some of the offences.

His case was the subject of intense media coverage.

Volkers was committed to stand trial, but the charges were later withdrawn.

More than seven years later, the file which included the original statements and was held by his solicitors was destroyed.

In 2014, both complainants gave evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

They, along with a third complainant, then made successful submissions to the Director of Public Prosecutions for charges against Volkers to be reinstated.

But on Tuesday the Brisbane District Court ruled a permanent stay on the indictment, meaning the charges will not be pursued in court.

“I am persuaded that it is appropriate to grant a permanent stay of the proceedings,” Justice David Reid wrote in his judgment.

“To allow the prosecution to proceed is in my view unfairly and unjustifiably oppressive of the applicant, in the particular and very unusual circumstances of this case.”

Justice Reid wrote allowing the proceedings to go ahead after two failed attempts and 18 years after Volkers was arrested for crimes that allegedly took place another 15 years prior would be an abuse of court process, pursuant to which a trial without unreasonable delay is fundamental.

Volkers did not appear in court on Tuesday.

– AAP