The DPP has appealed the suspended sentence of solider Cathal Crotty on the grounds of "undue leniency".

The Director of Public Prosecutions lodged the appeal on Friday – and it could take up to a year to be heard. 

Mr Crotty received a three-year fully suspended sentence from Judge Tom O’Donnell. 

He was serving in the Defence Forces when he attacked Natasha O’Brien in Limerick in May 2022. 

She had told him to stop repeating a homophobic slur when he then forced her to the ground and attacked her. 

Ms O'Brien suffered a broken nose, bruising, nightmares and panic attacks after the unprovoked attack. 

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."

A Limerick court heard that the solider had initially denied the assault had taken place until he was presented with CCTV evidence of the incident.

Sentence of Cathal Crotty

At the sentencing, Mr O’Donnell said Mr Crotty's actions were "utterly appalling", but said he had "no doubt" if he imposed an immediate jail sentence on Crotty his Army "career is over". 

The Judge imposed a three-year sentence which he suspended in its entirety and ordered Mr Crotty to pay €3,000 compensation to Ms O'Brien. 

Ms O’Brien has since been campaigning for reform of Ireland’s justice system and at a protest last night, she said she doesn’t want to “live in a world where this kind of thing continues”. 

Speaking at a protest in Cork last week, Ms O’Brien said she shouldn't "have to" campaign for new legislation. 

“It’s been a crazy week, I’ve been all over the country – I do now want to sit down and put a plan in place with legislation to bring forward to McEntee, our Taoiseach.”