EXCLUSIVE: Threat to kidnap Cathal Crotty and make him ‘suffer’

GARDAI are investigating after an anonymous threatening letter was sent to the family home of Cathal Crotty,  Limerick Live has learned.

The handwritten letter, which was addressed to Cathal Crotty’s father, had a Dublin postmark, and was received at his home in Ardnacrusha on Wednesday.

It is purportedly from an organisation with “members in Dublin and Limerick” and threatens to kidnap the soldier and make him “suffer”.

Cathal Crotty, aged 22, received a three year suspended sentence at Limerick Circuit Court last month for assaulting Natasha O’Brien in Limerick city centre in May of 2022. The story has dominated news cycles in recent weeks. There have been a number of protests across the country and was addressed by Taoiseach Simon Harris in the Dail.

The original letter sent to Mr Crotty is with investigating detectives but Limerick Live has seen a copy.

It reads: “If you do what we ask all is not lost, however, in not doing as we ask it will be a very sad story for your son, Cathal. As you are aware Mr Crotty, your son Cathal done a very bad thing on that poor girl.” 

It states that “justice wasn’t done in court” and that the writer and his men from Dublin and members from Limerick have been talking about the case at their meetings.

The letter states that Cathal Crotty will be taken from his home in two weeks time and “will suffer for what he has done to that poor girl who, by the way, wouldn’t hurt a fly”.

The letter says that Cathal Crotty “can’t get away with this crime”. 

“However, we will look at the case if your son is moved out of the country for good in two weeks time. This is his last hope – leave now or else you know, Mr Crotty, what is coming. The law can’t help.

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“Even now we have someone looking at your house. It is up to you. You might try and hide your son but we could have taken him last week for a little drive.”

The writer concludes the letter to Mr Crotty by saying: “Get him out for good and we will leave him be. Time is running out fast – two weeks or we’re coming down Mr Crotty, night or day.”

The garda investigation into the anonymous threatening letter is at an early stage.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed to Limerick Live that they are “aware of correspondence received at a domestic residence in Co Clare in July 2024” and “enquiries are ongoing”.