Cathal Crotty, a 22-year-old soldier, who managed to dodge imprisonment last month for violently assaulting and knocking out a female in the city of Limerick, has been earmarked for formal termination from his duties in the Defence Forces this coming Thursday.
Crotty was handed a suspended sentence last month due to his brutal attack on Natasha O’Brien, aged 24, in a public place. This followed her request for him to cease yelling hate speech towards people passing by, according to court records. The prosecution office took exception to the over-soft sentence and recently lodged an appeal.
The initiation process to discharge Crotty from the Defence Forces commenced on the 21st of June, which was the day after the suspended sentence was given at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
He was summoned by a higher-ranking officer and given a one-week notice to provide “reasons” as to why he should continue in his position. His allotted time has passed and the military decision-makers have concluded the expulsion process. Crotty is slated for formal termination from the Defence Forces this week, according to sources.
It has been reported that no potent reasons were offered against his discharge, thereby granting the Defence Forces the clearance to proceed with his official release from the organisation.
Regulatory guidelines necessitate that the expulsion occurs promptly, with the decision of the discharge date decided by the superior officer.
The reasons for the delay in executing Crotty’s expulsion in part originate from concerns whether it should proceed while the prosecution’s appeal was still pending. However, last week, legal guidance indicated the Defence Forces could go on with the process.
Following the brutal offence in 2022, Crotty, a military private from Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, gloated about his actions on Snapchat, suggesting it took four strikes to incapacitate Miss O’Brien.
Tom O’Donnell who presided as the judge noted that an incarceration could potentially affect Crotty’s vocation. He hence imposed a three-year suspended sentence whilst ordering Crotty to compensate Miss O’Brien with €3,000. This took place at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on the 20th of June.
This case attracted significant national outrage and political tensions ran high, with a massive public demonstration in support of Miss O’Brien.
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