Natasha O’Brien said she didn’t expect to feel as emotional as she did when her attacker was taken away to prison after his sentencing appeal.

Cathal Crotty of Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, County Clare, was ordered to serve two years in prison for attacking Natasha O’Brien on O’Connell Street in Limerick in 2022.

The former soldier attacked Ms O’Brien in 2022 after she called him out for shouting homophobic slurs.

Last year, he was convicted of assault, but the judge wholly suspended his three-year sentence.

Following public outrage, the court of appeal decided the original suspended sentence was too lenient.

Yesterday, the DPP argued that far too much weight was given to the potential consequences for Crotty’s career in the army.

On The Hard Shoulder, Ms O’Brien said the sentencing appeal yesterday was a “total shock”.

“I left the courtroom yesterday just with a whole mix of emotions,” she said.

“I had no faith walking in yesterday morning, I wasn't expecting anything to happen at all.

“I was just expecting the appeal to be declined and that that be it, you know.

“So, it was a total shock to hear the judges really take into account the pain, the suffering, the trauma that I endured, and not overlook that.”

Ruth Coppinger and Natasha O'Brien take part in a solidarity demonstration in Dublin Picture date: Monday November 25, 2024.

Ms O’Brien said she felt extremely conflicted in the court yesterday as she reacted emotionally to seeing Mr Crotty getting “taken away”.

“I just didn't know how I felt,” she said.

“There's a part of me… there's the logical, you know, I faced an attack, a sinister attack that I did not deserve in any capacity and those actions are totally, you know, they deserved consequence.

“We must set a precedent in our courts [that] we don't accept violence but still [for] the emotional side of me… it was really, really hard to see a young man be taken away.”

Protesters with placards taking place today outside the GPO in Dublin in solidarity with Natasha O'Brien, 22/06/2024. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie

Ms O’Brien said her reaction to seeing her attacker imprisoned surprised her.

“I was surprised because, you know, I'd fought for my justice and I deserve it,” she said.

“This has been so public that this is almost justice for so many victims and survivors that haven't had the strength and courage to come forward.

“It was so important on a nationwide level that this justice be delivered but on a personal, emotional level it still wasn't easy to see, you know, it still felt difficult, and I wasn't expecting to feel so affected.

“It was hard to see that and the family… and this is the consequence of violent actions, but it doesn't mean it's not hard to see.

“I really did feel this overwhelming sense of guilt leaving that courtroom.”

Ms O’Brien also said that for the first time in an Irish court she felt “it was actually a victim centred hearing”.

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Natasha O'Brien at a protest outside the Dail. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/ © RollingNews.ie