This week we talk twerking llamas, serial killer glasses and England’s Lockdown 2.0. In true crime news, we catch up on a few cases. We review Where is George Gibney? and an Unsolved Mysteries case from the second release (spoiler: Hannah is Poirot apparently). And for weird crimes, we head over to Florida…again.
In today’s main review we discuss the BBC Sounds 6 part podcast called Where is Geroge Gibney?
In today’s main review we discuss the BBC Sounds 6 part podcast called Where is George Gibney? This podcast deals with sexual abuse of children and can be very tough to listen to, although I thought they did it in a way that was very respectful and non-scandalized. If you don’t feel comfortable with this subject matter, please go ahead and skip it! We’ll get to more light-hearted stuff, I promise.
The podcast obviously follows George Gibney, -one of the best Irish swimming coaches, often coaching swimmers to national and Olympic levels. In Ireland, he was a real icon.
One of the main parts of the story we learn early on is that Gibney was charged with 27 counts of sexual abuse involving children and youth he coached. A judicial review in 1994 prevented the case from proceeding due to the length of time that had elapsed since the alleged incidents took place. Basically, he wouldn’t be able to adequately provide his whereabouts and alibis because it had been too long since the events happened.
On the plane to the swimming World Championships in 1990, swimmer Chalkie White struck up a conversation with a young Gary O’Toole and tried to ask O’Toole if Gibney had ever attempted to interfere with him. “Done anything that was too far.” O’Toole said no, why do you ask? Chalkie confided in him that Gibney was doing that to him.
The podcast uses this as a catalyst for O’Toole and Chalkie to seek out other victims. The strength they all had was incredible!
Dozens more people were interviewed, many who had to relive their trauma when speaking to detectives and ultimately at the trial. It seemed like many people wanted to fight back but didn’t know how to start. We meet one woman who answered the door and said: “I’ve been waiting years for you.”
We know that Gibney escaped prosecution and we learn that he fled to America.
Behind him, the sport of swimming was left in disarray and two subsequent national coaches – Derry O’Rourke and Ger Doyle – would themselves later be jailed for sexual abuse of children.
In America, the podcast learns that Gibney still often had access to children and was even volunteering at a hospice at one point. But we never get an interview with him. We also never truly learn who got him a coaching job in America in the first place, which allowed him to get a working visa and flee Ireland. Just tracking him down to begin with was difficult, but they do find him living in Florida.
As a result of the podcast, more information has come up and people have come forward – they’ll be releasing 2 more episodes in December if everything goes to plan. We’ll keep you updated with those episodes in True Crime News.
True Crime News Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-europe-54782634?__twitter_impression=true
Weird Crime Time Source:
Hannah’s Oslo Murder Source:
https://screenrant.com/unsolved-mysteries-jennifer-oslo-woman-spy-theory/
