A FORMER national and Olympic swimming coach has been sentenced to 6½ years in prison after being convicted of sex offences against children in the 1980s and 1990s.
Gerard Doyle (51), Emmett Place, Wexford town, who also lived in New Ross, Co Wexford, had pleaded not guilty before Judge Alice Doyle at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court to one charge of sexual assault and 34 charges of indecent assault.
The offences took place at New Ross swimming pool between January 1981 and December 1993.
After a five-day trial, the jury yesterday returned a unanimous verdict on the sexual assault charge and 34 indecent assault charges.
Doyle had previously been convicted of the offences at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to 6½ years in prison, but subsequently a retrial was ordered on a legal technicality after an appeal to the High Court.
In sentencing, Judge Doyle said the defendant had failed to express sorrow for his conduct over 10 years.
“These offences were secretly done and carefully planned, for the complainants were manipulated into accepting what kind of ‘punishment’ they should receive. He assaulted these young boys, breached their trust and that of their families. He manipulated these children over a 10-year period,” she said. She took into account the one year and 20 days the defendant had already served, which was to be credited off the overall sentence.
Five people made complaints against Doyle. The assaults were carried out on boys aged 10 to 15 years. Rod O’Hanlon, prosecuting, told of complainants who were brought into the defendant’s office and had measurements taken of their shoulders, waist, legs and penises.
A victim recalled an incident where Doyle told him to go into the office, alleging he had been messing in a changing room. Doyle locked the door and told him he was in serious trouble. The complainant became frightened and Doyle told him he would not call gardaí if he punished him.
The complainant asked what this meant. Doyle said a few slaps. “I became petrified and was glued to the spot with fear,” he said, adding Doyle then sexually assaulted him.
In his evidence the defendant denied taking measurements of any of the complainants’ penises.
He said he was horrified when confronted by gardaí.
“It never happened to any child,” he said, adding: “I categorically deny all the allegations.”