A Northern Ireland victim of one of Ireland’s top boxing coaches, who has been jailed for six years for a series of sex offences, has told how he spoke out to stop other lives being destroyed by abuse.

Convicted paedophile Frank Mulligan, who once coached former world champion Barry McGuigan, preyed on his young victims for a 13-year period until 2002.

When contacted last night Mr McGuigan declined to comment.

The 64-year-old, from Smithboro in Co Monaghan, was already behind bars in the Republic for child sex abuse when he came clean about a series of attacks on young boys he trained.

The once respected coach made some of his victims pray before and after the sex attacks and told them it was God's will.

Outside Dublin's Four Courts one of his first victims, Gerard Smyth from Fermanagh, waived his anonymity to encourage others to come forward, and said he could now move on with his life.

“It has been very traumatic and it will be for some time,” said the brave 28-year-old.

“I just hope other people can now come forward and speak out and put these perpetrators behind bars because it's where they deserve to be.”

Mulligan was jailed for six-and-a-half years for abusing five teenage boys. But the sentence, back-dated to May this year when he pleaded guilty, will run concurrent to a seven-year jail term handed down in April 2008 for abuse on the two other boys. With good behaviour and remission, Mulligan could be free in just over four years for the litany of offences.

Mr Smyth said: “I had to do something because it was destroying my life and destroying people's lives around me.

“Me coming forward helped other people to come out, which is good. It helps other people to deal with their problems.”

Judge Catherine Delahunt said Mulligan abused the trust and faith put in him by young boys and their families.

“You tried to hide these heinous crimes with a veil of religion and pseudo requirements for discipline in boxing,” she told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Dressed shabbily in grey tracksuit bottoms and grey and green hoodie, Mulligan showed no emotion as he was led away by prison officers.

Mr Smyth said he was happy with the sentence, in particular the seven years supervision.