The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is challenging a suspended sentence given to soldier Cathal Crotty, who beat Natasha O'Brien unconscious after she asked him to stop using homophobic slurs. The DPP argues that a prison sentence is necessary to deter future crimes like this.
The wholly suspended sentence imposed on soldier Cathal Crotty, who beat Natasha O'Brien unconscious on a public street after she asked him to stop shouting homophobic abuse, sends out the wrong message regarding society's attitude towards such crimes, the Director of Public Prosecutions has argued.
Ms Buckley said the DPP has no issue with the sentencing judge setting a headline sentence of four years for the assault. However, the director says that the decision to reduce that to three years, fully suspended, gave too much weight to the mitigating factors in the case. Ms Buckley pointed out that Crotty is not married and has no dependents, submitting that the judge had placed excessive weight on the likely job-loss. The Court of Appeal has viewed CCTV footage of the assault before Crotty's lawyers will be given a chance to respond to the DPP's submissions.
Crotty initially lied to Gardaí, telling them he had been attacked first, but changed his story when confronted with CCTV. Hours after the attack Crotty, who was a serving member of the Defence Forces at the time, boasted on Snapchat: “Two to put her down, two to put her out,” in reference to striking Ms O’Brien. He was discharged from the army in July.
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