Soldier who attacked woman pleads for his job as victim demands his dismissal

A soldier spared jail over savagely beating a woman in the street told us he wants to stay in the army – as his victim called for his dismissal.

Private Cathal Crotty (22) received a suspended sentence on Thursday over a brutal assault on passerby Natasha O’Brien in Limerick in 2022.

Crotty beat Ms O’Brien unconscious after she asked him to stop shouting gay slurs — and later boasted about it on social media.

READ MORE: Defence Forces praise bravery of woman beaten unconscious by serving soldier Cathal Crotty who walked free from court

READ MORE: Tanaiste praises ‘courage’ of soldier attack victim Natasha O’Brien and explains why commanding officer was in court

The Irish Mirror tracked down Crotty at his home in Parkroe Heights in Ardnacrusha, Co Clare following the sentence — with the young thug answering the door alongside his father Paul.

An angered Cathal Crotty first refused to engage with us, telling this reporter: “I just don’t trust you man. I just want this to be over. You’ll twist my words.”

Asked if he was sorry for his actions Crotty said he was “not answering” our questions – but when we asked if he wanted to return to his job in the Defence Forces, who are now separately investigating his actions, he said: “Of course.”

Crotty’s father meanwhile, who told us his name was Paul, went on at length to blame the media.

“I’m his father. You know and I know it’s the media that’s put him here as well,” he said.

“Because in court he got his case squashed and a three-year suspended sentence. But it’s the media that’s put him further into it.

“Am I right? Yes I am. It’s the public media that’s incriminated him from here on in,” he claimed.

Crotty’s father continued by claiming the judge had given his son a suspended sentence — but he was now being further punished by media and social media.

“It’s the media that’s put him here, not the court,” he claimed.

“The court has done his case, and this is the way it’s gone. And now it’s media, Snapchat, Facebook, RTE news, blah, blah, blah, after the fact.

“That’s what’s going to drive him deeper down. Because if it was good news, you wouldn’t be here. If it’s bad news you would. That’s the facts.”

Asked if he believed his son was sorry for his actions he said: “Of course he’d be sorry like but it’s just as far as I can see the media are a court of law not the court of law itself.

“Whatever justice the court is supposed to be for that case, well it’s gone past that now.

“If you think about it, it’s the media that’s going to drive it deeper and deeper.”

At this point Cathal Crotty, who had retreated inside the house, shouted at his father and said: “Dad will you shut up talking there and send him away.”

Meanwhile, victim Natasha O’Brien said Crotty should face “immediate dismissal” from the Defence Forces.

She said: “There should be an immediate dismissal for any harm caused (by a soldier) to a civilian. It’s cause for an immediate dismissal – absolutely.”

She told RTE the attack had left her in a “place of darkness” and suffering symptoms of PTSD, requiring multiple therapist appointments.

She said: “I just ended up spiralling into self-destructive behaviours, I lost all interest and motivation for life.

“I wasn’t able to cope with reality, whether that was staying in bed for days or getting a bottle of wine.”

Ms O’Brien said she was sitting “frozen” in the car for 15 minutes before Thursday’s sentencing hearing.

“Every male of similar stature to the person that attacked me, I was like ‘Oh my God is it him?’”

She said it was “terrifying” to see Crotty in court, adding: “I couldn’t even look”.

Ms O’Brien said the justice system needed to change so that injured parties are represented by solicitors and barristers in criminal trials – not just the accused.

She said she was sick of reading cases whereby people were let out on the streets after committing violence.

“I am enraged for my nation more than for myself because this is much more bigger than me,” Ms O’Brien said,

“I was just someone that had the voice that was strong enough to stand up.”

“I would like to see some true justice, I would like to see some effective change in the Dail.”

“I would like to demand some answers from the Minister for Justice as to what’s going on, in terms of the Department of Justice, and the failure of the (criminal justice) system to so many like myself.”

Ms O’Brien called for a fresh national debate about the rights of victims in the criminal justice system, which she indicated were seriously lacking.

“That is definitely something that should be opened up for an honest discussion,” she said.

“It is one hundred per cent something that should be opened up for discussion because the victim is put on trial and the defendant is represented.”

Ms O’Brien said she had not considered taking a civil case against Mr Crotty for injuries.

Judge O’Donnell ordered Crotty to pay Ms O’Brien €3,000 compensation which he pledged to meet.

“I haven’t even considered a civil case because there has been no real justice, it isn’t over,” she said.

She hoped that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) would appeal Crotty’s sentence on the grounds that it was too lenient, but said legal sources had indicated to her an appeal may be unlikely.

“It was explained to me that leniency appeals are only accepted in cases of extreme leniency and unfortunately it appears that under this justice system (Crotty’s sentence) actually wasn’t an extremely lenient sentence, and that’s my uproar, that’s my outrage, with the law.”

“Judge O’Donnell was considering the law, and the law is evading justice.”

Crotty is now facing an internal investigation by the Defence Forces, though army chiefs would not say whether he faces court martial.

A Defence Forces spokesperson said: “Following a conviction by a civilian court, there are a number of avenues available for a Commanding Officer to take, up to and including recommendation for discharge.

“These are outlined clearly in Defence Forces Regulations and the Commanding Officer will act in accordance with the Regulations.

“The Defence Forces can confirm that these proceedings have commenced. It would be inappropriate to comment further on this specific case until it is concluded, to avoid any risk of prejudice.

“The Defence Forces unequivocally condemn any actions by serving personnel that are contrary to or do not reflect our values.”

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