THE FATHER of Bray swimming star Gary O'Toole has welcomed the six-and-a-half-year sentence imposed on former Irish Olympic coach Ger Doyle.

Gary was one of the whistleblowers in the case of paedophile coach George Gibney back in 1991. His father Aidan has said that Doyle's conviction for abusing boys represents a victory for the victims of sexual abuse.

'Once he was found guilty that was great in itself,' said the Ballywaltrim man. 'But I would have given him one year for every charge he faced. He faced 35 charges... but I am glad he was found guilty'.

In 1991, Aidan, himself a former swimming coach, accompanied his 22-year-old son to the office of the Leinster branch of the then Irish Amateur Swimming Association to reveal the horror that had plagued Garry's mind for months after a troubled swimmer confided that he had been abused by Gibney.

'Gary kept it to himself for six months,' said Aidan. His son finally told his father and they took it from there. 'Gary told him (Gibney) he would expose him and he tried to blacken Gary's name.

Gary's bravery in revealing Gibney's crime with the support of his dad led to an investigation and ultimately a conviction.

Aidan, who prepares the match programme for Bray Wanderers, appeared on numerous occasions in court during Ger Doyle's case and was present in Wexford Circuit Criminal Court last Thursday when the sentencing was being handed down.

'It gives me personal satisfaction for my family and friends that another paedophile has been exposed. The main thing is that children in general have been saved by the exposure of these people in the courts and in other areas in sport,' he said.