'Justice was not served for Natasha O’Brien' – Deputy Pauline Tully

Outrage over sentence handed down for a vicious and unprovoked attack on woman.

Cavan-Monaghan TD Pauline Tully has expressed outrage over the sentence handed down to Cathal Crotty for a vicious and unprovoked attack on Natasha O’Brien in Limerick.

Mr Crotty received a suspended three-year sentence after pleading guilty to the charges brought against him.

“How can Judge Tom O’Donnell stand over this sentence?,” asked Deputy Tully before adding the Judge “has effectively said it is okay for a man to beat a woman and expect to walk free”. “Judge O’Donnell gave Crotty a significant degree of credit for pleading guilty. However, Crotty only did so after being shown CCTV footage of his brutal attack.

“He should be in prison, and he should have lost his job. The DPP must review this sentence with a view to appealing it's leniency. Crotty is also not fit to serve in the Defence Forces and they need to take disciplinary action and dismiss Crotty.”

Deputy Tully has been vocal on coming down hard on gender-based violence, herself being a survivor. Her estranged husband, Pearse McAuley, stabbed her repeatedly at the home they once shared in Kilnaleck on Christmas Eve 2014.

Deputy Tully survived the ordeal and McAuley was jailed for 12 years with the last two suspended. He was found dead at his Tyrone home earlier this year, having been released a number of months previously.