Cathal Crotty’s formal expulsion from the Defence Forces has been described as “the bare minimum” by his victim.
The 22-year-old from Clare received a suspended sentence last month for an unprovoked attack on Natasha O’Brien in Limerick, which is now the subject of an appeal from the DPP.
Hours after the attack, Mr Crotty boasted about what he had done, writing to friends on Snapchat, "Two to put her down, two to put her out."
He was last night discharged from the Defence Forces as a result of the attack.
On The Hard Shoulder today, Ms O’Brien said it wasn’t good enough.
“I originally thought it was great, but then I actually realised that it was only the bare minimum and that it’s too little, too late,” she said.
“We are so hardwired to expect the worst that when the bare minimum happens, we think that’s a good thing.
“This being dealt with is good, but when you look at the facts, it took a victim to stand up and cry out from every media platform possible to make it happen.”
Defence Forces
Ms O’Brien said there’s a pattern of perpetrators of violence against women getting off lightly in Ireland.
“Attackers are receiving shocking suspended sentences, and their victims are watching on as they carry out their careers in all sectors,” she said.
“It’s not just in the Defence Forces, it’s extremely prevalent in the sporting world, like in the GAA and rugby – we see it all the time.
“The victims are constantly knocked over and I don’t think this would have been done at all had I not put my heart and soul into standing up against it.”
File photo of Defence Forces soldier Cathal Crotty.She also questioned whether the courts are effective in dealing with such cases.
“We are all told that there are laws, legislation and systems run in ways to protect us for our well-being, our best interests,” she said.
“We’re taught to trust it and we’re taught that if a judge makes a decision that they are well informed, they know the law and they know what they are doing.
“But it was so wrong what happened to me that I couldn’t accept it, even if the law allowed it to happen, I couldn’t accept it and had to speak out.”
Media attention
Ms O’Brien said she never expected the case to receive the media attention it did.
“I thought it might be in the local newspaper, the Limerick Leader, or something like that,” she said.
“I never thought it was going to be this big thing it turned out to be, but then the calls started coming in, the texts started coming in, and all the while I was still so traumatised by everything.
“I don’t think I came down to earth until a couple of days ago, the whole experience was so outrageously surreal that it felt dystopian.”
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Main image: Natasha O'Brien at a protest outside the Dail. Defence Forces. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/ © RollingNews.ie
