I could not believe the sentence when I heard it.
Three years in prison, fully suspended. The cowardly thug would not spend a day in jail.
I am referring to the report yesterday from the Circuit Court in Limerick in the case of a young army private who beat a young woman unconscious in an unprovoked attack.
And was given a fully suspended sentence by the Judge, Judge Tom O’Donnell.
The criminal’s name is Cathal Crotty. The victim’s name is Natasha O’Brien.
Natasha O’Brien does not believe she got justice. I don’t blame her.
I cannot explain it anyway.
The Judge gave credit to Crotty for pleading guilty, even though he first told Gardai that Ms O’Brien started the violence. It was only when he was shown the CCTV footage that he accepted he was caught bang to rights.
The Judge was also concerned about Crotty losing his job if he was imprisoned.
This fact, together with a guilty plea and no previous convictions, led to the fully suspended sentence.
Boasting to his friends on Snapchat, lying to Gardai that Ms O’Brien initiated the attack-these facts appear to be placed to one side and not given much or any weight in the sentencing.
I still can’t believe it, to be honest.
I hope the DPP appeals the leniency of this sentence.
Otherwise, the message going out to men is a chilling one.