Soldier beats a woman unconscious, gets a great reference from his commanding officer, avoids jail.

griffin100

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/0620/1455752-soldier-assault/

I'm not usually a hang em high type of poster but this case has resonated with me. He beat this young woman unconscious and broke her nose apparently because he was asked to stop shouting homophobic abuse in the street. He boasted about it to friends on social media. She ended up suffering greatly and yet he essentially gets away with it. Sure he has probation but that's not a big deal. He gets to keep his army role (he's a 'exemplary, courteous, professional and disciplined soldier' according to his superior officer who seemed happy to give him reference) because the judge didn't impose jail time. He's given credit for pleading guilty at the last minute to avoid a trial, yet he tried to blame the incident on her until he got caught out with the CCTV evidence. He's a scumbag plain and simple and should be in jail, first offence or not, guilty plea or not. His Commanding Officer also has questions to answer about giving him a character reference. Are the army that desperate to retain personnel that they want to keep him enlisted? Surely the DPP will appeal the leniency of this sentence.

CorneliusBrown

I never understand why they allow character references at court. It’s shameful.

forumdedum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058356685/soldier-beats-a-woman-unconscious-gets-a-great-reference-from-his-commanding-officer-avoids-jail

I heard this on radio. I know a barrister who may be becoming a judge at some point. This barrister is not stable. I'm not surprised.

Leg End Reject

It's a fcuking farce and shame on the judge and his superior officer.

Shouting homophobic abuse and a violent assault on a woman, but he's a courteous and professional soldier? No, he's a scumbag.

silliussoddius

Was the judge of his tits or who is the scum bag related to?

fergiesfolly

Poor woman. Assaulted in the street and mugged in court. Can she or the DPP appeal the sentence?

And he stays in the army. I know they're having a hard time recruiting at the moment, but are they so hard up that this scrote gets to keep his career and possibly be promoted up the ranks? If I was a parent of a possible recruit, I'd be warning them off the army , especially if they're female.

This is it

Absolute scum. I really hope it's appealed.

SteM

Not only the sentence, but some of the comments from the Judge in summing up were just bizarre.

blackbox

Unless someone has evidence to the contrary, everything his commanding officer said may have been true.

However, this is no reason for such a lenient sentence.

Also, I cannot understand how the army could continue to employ someone who sullies the reputation of the entire force.

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284404#Comment_122284404

Yep. I noticed the judge credited him with pleading guilty... What actually happened was he tried to blame the victim but was confronted with CCTV evidence. He had little choice but to plead guilty.

Leg End Reject

Not wanting to ruin his career by imposing a custodial sentence?

What about the victim who lost her job in the aftermath? What about her PTSD?

I hope the DPP appeals the leniency, it beggars belief.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284424#Comment_122284424

Do we know which judge it was?

I can probably guess though…

Geuze

I presume that the conviction will lead to a response by his employer?

Baba Yaga

shes 100% right,no justice…we've sh1t tons of laws but no justice,at the very least that fcuker should be court martialed…

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284424#Comment_122284424

Yeah we can't ruin his career in that group of people who are defending the entire country.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284434#Comment_122284434

Tom O'Donnell.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284446#Comment_122284446

He'd be a great lad representing the country on a peace keeping mission. 🙄🙄

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284454#Comment_122284454

Or maybe a cross country initiative with Iran or Afghanistan.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284445#Comment_122284445

Conduct unbecoming an officer? People have lost their commission for less than this.

This wasn't a scrap with some mouthy scrote outside a pub.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284465#Comment_122284465

And tell them he's gay, let him see how unpleasant homophobia is.

CatLick

This is shameful. To punch this woman so many times though she was no threat and only get a suspended sentence. So wrong. Suspended sentences should be withdrawn as a judge's option.

lightpipe

Absolute scumbag & a disgrace to the army. How can a vicious woman beater continue to be a soldier. His photos & adress are published, he'll need all of his soldiering skills to stay alive in Limerick.

buried

This is absolutely sickening. What the f**k is this place coming to.

Daisy78

So it’s now not enough to be caught on camera committing a heinous crime. All you need is your employer to show up in court, tell everyone that your a grand lad and your out the gap. Appalling.

Leg End Reject

The attack only stopped because another man intervened, he could have killed her.

"As I lay in the foetal position, and losing consciousness, he continued his relentless beating. My last conscious thought was 'he’s not stopping, I’m going to die."

gigantic09

The victims life and carrear is in ruins but the judge is reluctant to impose a sentence that might have similar repercussions for the perpetrator.Makes absolutely no sense .

Rows Grower

Hours after the attack Crotty boasted to friends on Snapchat "Two to put her down and two to put her out".

He later claimed he could remember nothing when being questioned by Gardai until shown the CCTV evidence and then in court the judge had the audacity to ask the victim if she knew the significance of his guilty plea?

There's something very rotten with this case and not only does the DPP need to appeal it the judge has serious questions to answer.

alias no.9

I can only hope the victim is getting the support she needs to get on with her life and that the DPP is planning to appeal the leniency of the sentence. Perhaps the Defence Forces could consider disciplinary action too, against both the convict and his commanding officer for bringing the force into disrepute.

DeadHand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284496#Comment_122284496

The army, through his commanding officer, acted in his defense: to mitigate his sentence. The same army seem happy to keep this person in its employ.

It's not enough to say Crotty is a disgrace to the army; the army itself is a disgrace.

This is it

I presume there's nothing the general public can do to prompt a review by the DPP?

buried

Clear from this action that the army is at war with the very people it is sworn to protect. Good to know.