Cathal Crotty: Appeal lodged against soldier’s suspended sentence

The Irish Attorney General (DPP) has appealed against the three-year suspended sentence given to an Irish soldier for a random attack on a woman.

The appeal, arguing that the suspended sentence imposed was inappropriately lenient, was filed on Friday, Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported.

Cathal Crotty, 22, punched 24-year-old Natasha O’Brien six times in O’Connell Street, Limerick, after she asked him to stop shouting homophobic slurs.

He later bragged about the incident on social media.

Ms O’Brien, who suffered a broken nose among other injuries, criticised the Irish justice system after Crotty escaped a prison sentence last month.

After the verdict was announced, Ms O’Brien said outside the courtroom: “This is not justice.”

Crotty had initially tried to blame Ms O’Brien for the May 29, 2022 attack.

He later admitted his guilt after being shown video footage of the incident and subsequently pleaded guilty at Limerick District Criminal Court.

In sentencing, the judge described the incident as a “cowardly, brutal and unprovoked” attack, but said the defendant must be “credited” for his guilty plea and told the court he had “no doubt” that Crotty’s “military career” would be over if he went to prison.

Judge Tom O’Donnell, now retired, imposed a three-year prison sentence, suspended in its entirety, and ordered Crotty to pay €3,000 (£2,550) compensation to Ms O’Brien, without prejudice to any civil action.

The verdict led to protests in support of the victim in four different Irish cities.

The appeal against the DPP will be heard before the Court of Appeal.

It could take up to a year for the case to go to trial unless a motion is made for an earlier hearing.