LAST UPDATE | 11 Jul 2024

CATHAL CROTTY, WHO was convicted of assaulting Limerick woman Natasha O’Brien last month, is to be discharged from the Defence Forces today. 

Crotty, from Park Row Heights in Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, was given a fully-suspended sentenced for the unprovoked attack on Natasha O’Brien in Limerick on 22 May 2022.

A process had begun to dismiss him after his sentencing.

In a statement to The Journal, a Defence Forces spokesperson said: “The Defence Forces unequivocally condemns any actions by serving personnel that are contrary to military regulations or that do not reflect our values.

“The Defence Forces can confirm that Private Crotty will be discharged later today.”

The discharge will be effective from midnight. 

Earlier this week, a source with knowledge of the dismissal process told The Journal that Crotty would be discharged from the military today. The reason for his discharge is that he has been convicted of a criminal offence. 

The 22-year-old, who was serving at Private rank in Sarsfield’s Barracks Limerick, is also facing an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions on grounds of sentence leniency. 

He had entered a guilty plea before Judge Tom O’Donnell at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

Crotty, who attacked Natasha O’Brien and later boasted about it online, initially told gardaí that she had instigated the attack, but admitted his guilt after gardaí showed Crotty CCTV footage of the incident.

During the assault, the court was told, O’Brien believed she was going to die and was left with severe injuries, including a broken nose.

Extensive CCTV footage showed the unprovoked assault when O’Brien remonstrated with Crotty for using homophobic slurs.

It is understood that the Irish Defence Forces process has been handled by the officer in command of One Brigade, Brigadier General Brian Cleary. He is supported by a number of military legal officers.

It is understood the process did not involve a courts martial but instead was a case of Cleary being able to invoke a summary dismissal under the Defence Forces Regulation.

Last month, Tánaiste and Defence Minister Micheál Martin confirmed that there are 68 members of the Defence Forces who have been convicted or currently before the courts on a range of criminal offences.

Responding to news of his dismissal, O’Brien told RTÉ News: “This is the bare minimum, it should be standard procedure but it is not.

“What about all the other victims who have to watch their attacker continue to serve? What is the Tánaiste Micheál Martin doing about this,” she asked.

“There are so many victims watching their attackers carry out their careers in the forces and in other sectors across the nation.

“I feel a real sense of injustice for so many. It’s heartbreaking that a victim has to go to these lengths to receive the bare minimum.”