'You will be heard': Woman abused by George Gibney as a child urges other victims to come forward

Courts

Orla Poole waived her right to anonymity after the ex-swimming coach was jailed for 15-and-a-half years at the Central Criminal Court today.

A WOMAN WHO was sexually abused by George Gibney when she was a child has urged other potential survivors to come forward, telling them “you will be heard and you will be believed”. 

Orla Poole waived her right to anonymity after the ex-swimming coach was jailed for 15-and-a-half years at the Central Criminal Court today for sexually abusing four girls in the 1970s and 1980s.

Sentencing him this afternoon, Mr Justice Mícheál O’Higgins described Gibney as a “manipulative predator” and said the offences were part of a pattern of systemic offending which violated the rights of four young children over a lengthy period of time.

Speaking on the steps of the court after the hearing, Ms Poole said that other survivors of abuse should not feel alone. 

“If there are any, and I believe there are many, others who suffered at the hands of Gibney, know that you do not have to carry this burden alone,” she said.

You are not at fault. The only guilt for what we went through lies with the convicted paedophile.

“When you are ready and able, unburden yourself by talking to someone, from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, One in Four, a therapist, a trusted friend, or even the Gardaí. It can be a liberating and cathartic experience. You are not alone.”

Ms Poole said that in an ideal world, no child should have to deal with abuse.

“Grooming, manipulation and deception are oftentimes difficult to identify but are the hallmark of a paedophile,” she said.

“This is especially so in highly competitive sporting mentor/coach situations, where young, immature, vulnerable and naive persons are dependent on the adult to show the way and do the right thing.”

She said children are not always in a position to speak about what is happening and can express their suffering in other ways. She urged parents and guardians to act if they noticed a change in their child’s behaviour. 

She said she spent decades in silence because of Gibney.

“I thought I was the only one, that I somehow deserved what he did to me. After a while, because of the times, his position in authority and my lack of standing, as a child, I thought no one would believe me if I was to say something,” she said.

“That, I think, is no longer the case in Ireland. There are people, organisations and authorities who will listen, who will offer support, and will act.”

Ms Poole said Gibney’s actions “had far-reaching repercussions on people beyond just me, my family, friends and my own child.

“This court case didn’t just deliver justice for me but also, I hope, for others. It has shown that even after 50-plus years, justice can be got. Historical offenders can be held to account for their actions and choices.

The times of sweeping things under the rug, turning a blind eye or holding that children should be seen and not heard are gone.

She concluded her statement by saying: “To all survivors out there, speak when you are ready, reclaim your agency and remember you are not to blame, only the offender is to blame.

“You are not alone. There is support. There are people that will be of help to you. You will be heard and you will be believed.”