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

You have this arse about tit…the problem is no prison spaces so lenient sentencing guidelines.

This has been pointed out already. This scumbag was spared jail NOT because of anything to do with prison spaces. It was to do with his career. It’s not rocket-science. The judge was very clear in his reasons to suspend the sentence. A disgraceful abuse of power.

Not surprised you’re struggling to comprehend it. You also wanted to say that Natasha provoked Crotty

I can’t agree that what the judge did was worse than what Crotty did, but it certainly compounded the damage and it was a disgraceful misuse of judicial discretion. The sooner he’s gone from the bench, the better.

In some ways the judge’s decision made matters worse for Crotty than would have been the case if he had imposed an immediate custodial sentence. Something like a five year sentence with the last two years suspended to allow for the guilty plea and the fact that he was a first time offender would have been more appropriate and probably would have avoided the media furore that surrounded the extreme lenience shown by the judge.

As things stand, Crotty’s name is mud (and deservedly so) and I think that it is likely that he will have to emigrate in order to have any hope of a normal future. But he will have to wait until the army has completed its disclipinary hearing as otherwise he will be adding desertion to his list of problems.

Hard to feel much sympathy for him, but perhaps he will in time come to reflect on what he has done and will make a genuine effort to turn his life around.

Had Crotty been sent to jail for a couple of years this story wouldn't have blown up like it did. He might have been able to move on in time and slip under the radar.

As it is his face has been all over the place and people up and down the country are talking about him. He is screwed in this country now, nobody will want anything to do with him.

Yes, what you've posted above is about sentencing guidelines.

Link for what? - Have a read and you'll soon know.

You are just speculating that she nearly died. I haven't seen anything connected with the trial that suggested that this was the case.

What are you talking about, I've never engaged with anyone on that topic.

There was no trial, Francie. Very simple: that man could have killed Natasha with that vicious assault, and it’s not at all hyperbole or exaggeration to think this.

Again, no idea what you’re on about..

It’s been explained to you clearly that the judge did not jail Crotty due to a lack of prison spaces. Your incability of grasping this is on you.

This sentencing guidelines has nothing to do with my clear points to you.

By your logic that one punch could kill, any of the thousands of assault cases that happen in this country are attempted murder/manslaughter cases.

My logic nothing. I’m not talking about the 1000s of other assaults. And I’ve never mentioned manslaughter or attempted murder: I’m taking about Crotty’s assault: Your attempts to downplay this assault as hyperbole because people rightly have said (including the victim) that she could have been killed is shameful.

A woman battered unconscious by a brute of a man, who feared she was going to be killed, and who suffered serious injuries, including a severe concussion, and you come out with this guff about people exaggerating-using hyperbole in daring to suggest that she could have been killed.

Take a look at what you’re saying here. It’s bloody far from hyperbole to say she could have been killed.

The problem (as the Army would see it) is that the offence he committed was outside the Barracks against a Civilian, was dealt with in a Civilian court and therefore that's the end of the matter.

Of course with the current public and political outcry then he could be court martialled but they'd have to ensure they could make it stick.

He might be charged under section 154 of the DFR (Defence Force Regulations) of 1954 - Conduct Prejedicuce to Good Order and Discipline. (The catch all clause)

If Spike Island Army Prison was still open he'd get a few months there in the 'Digger' but I can only assume that it's in the Curragh Camp now - after that he'd be dishonorably discharged.

"Legally the courts martial procedure would be more sure footed and not lead to challenges, a number of sources have said. 

The military has its own independent judicial system in which
personnel found guilty of wrongdoing can be fined, summarily dismissed
and also sentenced to imprisonment. 

It is understood that the Defence Forces internal procedures do
contain a measure to deal with a soldier, like Crotty, convicted of an
offence in a civilian court. "

Nope, military courts deal with matters while on active service say, or while in uniform. In this case it would have no jurisdiction.

Unless he used a move solely taught and used by the military. Most people could probably do what he did without any training.

I used "double jeopardy" to reference that he can't be tried for the same offence twice if already convicted in a civilian court. Probably should have used double punishment or something.

Look I was in the military for years, scumbags like him shame us by association. I dread what that tribunal will find out as the army has a lot of dirty linen hidden away.

The thing with Crotty is tho it's in the public and there is only one outcome that will be acceptable. But I know guys who kept their job after being convicted of assault as well as some who were discharged. In this case it's not quite a lottery but.....

Apologies but I don't know how to break up a quote to reply to different parts lol

Saying something doesn't make it fact.

The fact that Crotty's army career was regarded by Judge O'Donnell as mitigation contrasts with the case across the border in which Robert Atkinson, the ex-cop who perverted the course of justice after the murder of Robert Hamill, was jailed. In Atkinson's case, that fact that he was a cop when he committed the crime was considered an aggravating factor - and I guess it would be the same in this jurisdiction. In other words, Crotty probably would have been jailed if he had been a garda (whether on or off duty). Given that the police and the military are the security forces, why is a soldier treated more leniently than a garda would be?