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

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122289822#Comment_122289822

is there a possibility that someone ‘of standing’ had a ‘quiet word’ with the judge? In this day and age nothing should be discounted - the Fr Malloy case comes to mind.

jeremyr62

One wonders if the (free) criminal, the judge and the DF "character witness" slept well last night or if they are completely immune to the overwhelming sense of disgust. I have lived in Ireland since 1992 and this is a new low for the justice system imo. I'll be at the protest today.

Caquas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290009#Comment_122290009

If his buddies had told the truth, Crotty wouldn’t have been brazenly lying to the Gardai until they produced the CCTV.

Where would our criminal justice system be without CCTV?

dixiefly

I haven’t read the complete thread here but I am surprised that there has been no mention of the others that Crotty wa with when he committed the assault. Natasha had mentioned that she stepped through a few of them when she asked gently to stop the homophobic comments.

You would wonder why none of his friends stepped in. Were any of them serving soldiers themselves? Also the passer by who stepped in has to be commended as Crotty was not on his own. By having no trial they got away with no identification or publicity.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122289153#Comment_122289153

’They are not the norm ‘. Not every ‘scuffle’ hits the papers or the court room. ‘scuffles’ can range from ‘harmless banter to somebody being badly injured to death. They quiet often happen outside pubs/nightclubs but could happen anyplace. SO THEY ARE THE NORM. There is a fine line between a scuffle being ‘Harmless’ where nobody gets physically injured/hurt and ones where somebody gets injured or is even killed. Remember the student killed on Mespil rd outside the Intercontinental hotel a few yrs back. The guy killed outside Hayse’s Hotel , Thurles. And another young individual suffering a serious life changing injury , two years ago in a very rural village near Thurles. On death/ injury is one too many. Examples should be made of all causing these ‘events’ and USe high profile people whenever possible to drive home the point that zero tolerance is in place

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290244#Comment_122290244

Zero tolerance is not in place, quite the opposite. The Kyle Hayes incident said it all. Not only did he get away with it, he is straight away back to being lauded a hero in his own county. Like it or not the likes of him are role models for the youth.

csirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290154#Comment_122290154

Very good point.

I assume that if he resigns, all this talk of military courts/punishments becomes irrelevent?

Francie Barrett

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/man-24-who-sexually-assaulted-elderly-landlady-gets-suspended-sentence-1638449.html

This week, a man sexually assaulted a 79 year old woman in her own bed. He also got a suspended sentence.

Where was the outcry from the media and the left wing politicians? 🤔

typerated

How come this supposedly intelligent judge did not understand that a criminal conviction would result in a dishonourable discharge from the army, and why did the Gardai not charge

typerated

Why was this soldier not charged for his homophobic comments.

davetherave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122289982#Comment_122289982

Source?

volchitsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290236#Comment_122290236

Very good point: will the friends he was with (likely some are serving soldiers too) be required to account for why their initial testimony was presumably closer to Crotty's version of events than to what the CCTV showed? I haven't seen any suggestion of that. Nor did they help her, of course.

Another thing that bothers me about this horrible attack is thinking about the difference if Ms O'Brien had just walked on by. Crotty was obviously working up to a homophobic attack (and I wonder whether his pals might well have been part of that if so). If he had attacked the guy and given him the same injuries, it would have been a homophobic attack. A hate crime. But because it was a woman - nothing. No hate crime, and a suspended sentence because a judge couldn't possibly let a man lose his job over something so minor, could he? She lost hers, but she's just a woman.

davetherave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290154#Comment_122290154

No, unless your terms of engagement are up you have to apply for your discharge. If he just leaves he would be absenting himself without leave, which would be another charge against him.

Tork

A journalist from the Irish Mirror called to the Crotty's house. Not much remorse there

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/soldier-beat-woman-unconscious-speaks-33084272

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290236#Comment_122290236

I said similar upthread.
Surely those who were with him, if they were also members of the Defence Forces, should be hauled over the coals for their failure to act to stop the assault.

Only for the passer-by who intervened, that scumbag could have been facing an even more serious charge.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290315#Comment_122290315

Sorry - no link source. First hand info!

AyeGer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290196#Comment_122290196

Much of the focus of this attack has been on Crotty and the Army officer. His friends seem to be flying under the radar here. Wtf were they doing while he was pummelling the poor lady into the ground? Are they on CCTV I wonder standing looking at the attack.

Pauliedragon

I find it hard to believe this was his first time doing something like this. To be that savage the first time hitting someone would be unusual I think.

extra-ordinary_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290483#Comment_122290483

What's unusual is a man beating a woman and then bragging about it. What planet is this guy from??

Seems Ireland’s justice system repeatedly tolerates volent crime as acceptable.

You regularly see reports of suspended sentences for violent assaults. Then we wonder why we have an issue with random violent crime and thuggery.

Non-violent crimes often gets treated far more severely - they’ve no issue throwing the book at some hippy pensioner with a couple of hash plants in a window box, but knock someone’s teeth out and sure that’s grand, particularly if it’s your 207th offence.

Our criminal justice is a joke when it comes to violent crime.

The victim in this should be hugely commended for what she’s doing. She’s holding it up to public account. She’s not just being walked over and she might hopefully have significant impact and drive change.

Our courts are far, far too accepting of violent crime and it’s having bad consequences across society. The legal system is supposed to be setting an example and setting a standard for behaviour. It’s doing just that - the standard is low and violence is apparently fine.

Comer1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290332#Comment_122290332

“I’m his father. You know and I know it’s the media that’s put him here as well,” he said."

As a teacher, my experience is that we find this attitude so much now with parents. "It's everyone else's fault, not my angel. They're the victim here." Parents or their children don't take ownership of their actions. How can the son have any moral compass with a parent like that. "Black cat, black kitten."

I do believe Mr Crotty, that nobody, but your son put himself in this.

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290526#Comment_122290526

I agree. It looks like the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290316#Comment_122290316

There are several leaps there. First of all we don't know if Crotty was working up to a homophobic attack.

Also, we don't know if Crotty attacked the victim because she was a woman. If a man had said something to him about his homophobic comments and was attacked with the judge imposing a suspended sentence and making the same comments about the perp's career, would it be because the victim was "just a man"?

What we do know is that violent assaults happen all the time and and more often than not, the victims are male. And we also have a problem with lenient and inconsistent sentencing. The feminist NGOs are latching onto this case and trying to make it about institutional misogyny which is nonsense.

Tell that to my elderly relative (male) who was beaten and stabbed in his own home in an aggravated burglary. Perp got a suspended sentence with playing GAA, having a girlfriend and having a job all brought up by the defence in court. Did this case make RTE or any national media? Of course not, just a run of the mill assault.

Heckler

I'm not a parent so maybe don't understand how a father can not only stand behind this prick but start blaming the media.

He should be booted from the DF. His sentence should be appealed for its leniency.

At 22 with a criminal conviction and a hopeful dishonourable discharge hes fucked. No employer is going to want him.

Disgusting act and whoever his friends were should be ashamed of themselves. If they are DF as well they should held accountable.

Well done to that brave woman. Terrible that she didn't get the justice she deserved.

Terrier2023

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122284286#Comment_122284286

I thought there was going ot be a change where if you gave a written reference you had to come into the court and deliver it in person under oath this was to stop people giving GAA & rugby stars brilliant references during rape trials. Obviously dint happen. The corruption in the world is beyond a joke !

Terrier2023

???

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290582#Comment_122290582

The CO was not there to give a character reference.

LetticebCivil

He has been tried in court and got way lightly. He has been tried by the public and his life is more or less over. I bet he regrets his actions now.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290382#Comment_122290382

maybe the courts can do nothing about the ‘others’ . BUT if they were soldiers and can be identified in the CCTV then maybe the army could do something

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122290332#Comment_122290332

His father say the court "squashed" the case and the media are to blame for where he is now. He couldn't even say his son deeply regretted his actions and offer consolation to Natasha.

The apple didn't fall far from the tree.