'He chose the wrong person that night' - Natasha O'Brien in direct message to attacker and justice department

“HE CHOSE the wrong person that night. And the Department of Justice chose the wrong person to ignore because I will not be ignored. The people are listening,” Natasha O’Brien said this Saturday afternoon in her home city of Limerick.

She was right, the people were listening - well over 1,000 of them in total, hanging on her every syllable on Bedford Row shortly after 3pm. 

The 24-year-old was standing under the shadow of the six-foot bronze statue of the late Richard Harris in which he is depicted holding aloft a reversed sword.

The actor - a hellraiser - was said to have been strongly opposed to war and violence.

Violence is what brought the young woman to this very site on an overcast June day, as well as the hundreds upon hundreds of others who formed a supportive circle around her - mostly women and children but not exclusively so.

On another summer’s day just two years ago - May 29, 2022, Ms O’Brien was viciously beaten by a young man - from a neighbouring county - not far from where she stood this Saturday. She sustained a broken nose, concussion, swelling and bruising during the attack. The court heard she was punched repeatedly on the ground. She was shouting “please, stop” as the beating continued.

Her assailant, Cathal Crotty, of Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, a serving member of the Defence Forces, walked free from Limerick Circuit Court last Wednesday after Judge Tom O’Donnell handed down a three-year suspended sentence for the attack on the woman on the ground.

'This is not justice': Limerick woman's anger as soldier who 'viciously' attacked her gets suspended sentence

'Memory of that vicious, sinister look in his eyes as he approached me will haunt me forever'

Her friend Shauna Daly, from Corbally, was by her side this Saturday. She was by her side on May 29, 2022 also.

“I can thank Shauna for my life, for had she not been able to scream for help, he would not have stopped,” Ms O'Brien told Limerick Live at the protest. 

Ms Daly said she was “disgusted” at the outcome of the court case.

“And to see five of his friends were stood there that night and I was screaming for help and none of them helped - what does this send them a message of? If Natasha doesn’t get justice, what kind of message have we just shown the people of Ireland?” she said. 

When asked her reaction to comments made by Mr Crotty’s father to the Irish Mirror in which he is quoted as saying “It’s the media that’s put him here, not the court. The court has done his case, and this is the way it’s gone,” Ms O’Brien replied: “His father should be apologising to me.”

Natasha O’Brien addresses the thousands who have gathered at a demonstration in Limerick city centre.

Soldier Cathal Crotty received a fully suspended sentence after pleaded guilty to beating Ms O'Brien unconscious in a random street attack. pic.twitter.com/bX3RZr1Lzn

— Limerick Leader / Limerick Live (@Limerick_Leader) June 22, 2024

Redirecting the focus back on the judicial system which she insisted must be changed to protect victims and not perpetrators, Ms O’Brien said: “I don’t believe the focus should be put on Cathal Crotty. I believe that Cathal Crotty made a horrible, horrible mistake and he should have received consequences but the blame and anger should not be directed at him, it should be directed at our justice system and the Defence Forces for being so negligent of our safety”. 

Hundreds of people have gathered in Limerick city centre in a show of solidarity with Limerick woman Natasha O’Brien.

Soldier Cathal Crotty received a fully suspended sentence after pleaded guilty to beating Ms O'Brien unconscious in a random street attack. pic.twitter.com/SKiOFN0Eje

— Áine Fitzgerald (@AineFitzgeraldA) June 22, 2024

When asked by Limerick Live if she got to speak to Cathal Crotty “right here, right now” what would she say to him, Ms O’Brien replied; “I wouldn’t speak to him because I am not speaking up right now to punish him, I am speaking up because of what has happened at the hands of the courts and what has happened to so many victims.” 

Those in attendance at this Saturday’s demonstration - which was organised by socialist, feminist movement, Rosa - joined in chorus shouting a number of chants calling out the perceived injustice at last Wednesday’s sentencing hearing.  Many held placards aloft which were emblazoned with calls for justice for victims of gender-based crime and direct messages to Judge Tom O’Donnell who presided over last Wednesday’s court case. 

Ms O'Brien also joined the demonstrators as they marched down O'Connell Street as they chanted, and acknowledged applause from Saturday afternoon shoppers.

What a turnout. The message is loud and clear today on the streets of Limerick: ‘What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!’ pic.twitter.com/RfhSCfQNYL

— Manon Gilbart (@ManonGilbart) June 22, 2024

Similar demonstrations were  also held in Cork and Dublin this Saturday.