Carlow Nationalist – DPP appeals against Cathal Crotty’s suspended sentence

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The Director of Public Prosecutions has filed an appeal against the sentence passed on an Irish soldier for assaulting a woman.

Cathal Crotty, of Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to assaulting Natasha O’Brien in Limerick in 2022.

The 22-year-old, a serving member of the Defence Forces, has walked free from court after being sentenced to three years’ suspended imprisonment for the attack.

The DPP’s appeal against the suspended sentence was filed on the grounds of unfair leniency.

Following the story’s revelations, there were protests in cities across Ireland, outside the Dáil and the Limerick Courthouse.

Natasha O’Brien said she was heartened by the news that the DPP intended to appeal the three-year suspended sentence Mr Crotty received for the brutal attack on her, arguing it was too lenient.

“Thank God the right thing is being done now,” Ms O’Brien said.

But the 24-year-old Limerick woman said many more victims of crime, especially violent crime, do not have the opportunity to have their abuser condemn them.

“It’s a step forward, but I’m still at the bottom of a big mountain, so I’m going to keep trying,” Ms O’Brien said.

“The number of victims who come to me with horrific stories about convictions and their convicts (violent perpetrators) remaining free, with no hope of appeal, is terrifying.”

Ms O’Brien said she had been told that “the DPP can find it very difficult to appeal, sometimes they don’t have a basis for it, which is very sad”.

“I’m almost certain there are many more excessively lenient sentences that don’t get to that point.”

Ms O’Brien said she believed speaking out about Cathal Crotty’s suspended sentence – which he received after beating her unconscious in O’Connell Street, Limerick city – had helped prompt the appeal against the conviction.

“I know the DPP is impartial to the public and the government, but I have no doubt that the appeal would not have happened if not for the nationwide outcry,” she said.

“It is the sentencing laws and guidelines that need to change to allow for more of these cases where judges, in my view, are not making fair sentences, to make the process less impossible and more accessible to others,” Ms O’Brien said.

Ms O’Brien said she had been told the appeal to the three-judge Court of Appeal would not be heard until October/November. She said she had been invited to the appeal hearing and that a transcript of Cathal Crotty’s sentencing hearing would be made available to the court.

Ms O’Brien said she had had a “crazy two weeks” since she spoke publicly about her disgust at the sentence handed down to Crotty by Judge Tom O’Donnell at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. Crotty boasted on social media after the unprovoked attack: “Two to knock her (Ms O’Brien) down, two to finish her off.”

“There were so many ups and downs.”

She added that Labour is due to put a motion to the Dáil next Wednesday to introduce strict sentencing guidelines for assault cases: “It’s fantastic and it’s great to see the wheels of change slowly turning.”

Ms O’Brien said she was concerned about some of the reactions to her public expressions of disappointment both at Crotty’s sentence and the wider campaign to bring about changes to the way judges treat victims of crime.

“Last weekend I got an outrageous amount of negative feedback with people saying things like ‘would she just shut up’ – ‘two (punches) to put her down, how many to shut her up’, ‘she deserved it, she’s a mouthy person’.”

“It’s really scary, it’s a social problem, and people are frustrated that I keep talking about it? I won’t let it go because we, as a society, are just at the beginning – we’re moving forward, but we’re not where we need to be yet,” Ms O’Brien argued.

“To every single one of these commenters, their hatred is what motivates me to continue,” she said.

“The negative comments are now my driving force to keep going. It’s not okay, it’s that simple, and people think I should sit down and be quiet, it’s disturbing.”

“What’s disturbing to me is that there’s so little talk about the justice system, about the victims, about the violence, that people get really upset when I talk about holding people accountable for assaults.”

“It’s a sensitive topic – why? It’s incredibly important and we need to keep talking about it.”

Additional copy from David Raleigh