Suspended sentence for convicted soldier

Sir, – Further to “‘He’s not stopping, I’m going to die’: Woman beaten by soldier condemns suspended sentence” (News, June 21st), a man who shouted homophobic slurs in public, beat a female senseless, boasted about it on social media, initially blamed his victim, and was ultimately convicted of a crime, is still a serving soldier in our Army.

Heaven help us all. – Yours, etc,

MARGARET FARRELL,

Rathfarnham,

Euro Zone: The excellent Ally McCoist delivers another zinger

---

The Racket by Conor Niland: Lonely tennis locker room conveyed with deft touch

---

Restaurant review: Stunning fish in a magical setting by the water’s edge

---

Defence Forces morale on the floor as commentary over Cathal Crotty case seen as unfair

---

Dublin 14.

Sir, – Words have meanings. The dictionary gives examples of “exemplary”, the word an Army officer used to describe Pte Cathal Crotty, as “commendable” and “worthy of imitation”.

I do not find the actions in question worthy of imitation or commendable in any way.

I have granddaughters and worry about their future and how they will navigate their lives in this country. – Yours, etc,

MAIREAD LAHER,

Monkstown,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – The scales of justice are in serious need of recalibration so that the long-term suffering and trauma of a female assault victim outweigh the future career prospects of her male attacker. – Yours, etc,

RITA O’BRIEN,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – An “exemplary” specimen? I do not think so. If you have been trained to use force in defence of your country and its citizens, and then you go out and beat a woman to a pulp and boast about it, I don’t believe you are fit to wear the uniform of a soldier.

I served this country as an international aid worker. And I worked with the best of the Army. It does all of us a disservice to let this man continue to wear the uniform that represents our country. He does not represent me or any woman.

As for the young woman whose bravery in standing up for others resulted in her being beaten senseless, I have nothing but admiration.

She was so right to call out this sentence.

My question of the media is this: if she hadn’t called it out, would you have reacted? – Is mise,

LAURA O’MAHONY

Terenure,

Dublin.

Sir, – Sadly, these are not isolated cases in Ireland. We have become desensitised to outcomes like this as they occur so frequently.

It is an appalling reflection on the Irish justice system. – Yours, etc,

MARY DARBY,

Greystones,

Co Wicklow.

Sir, – Two reports in your paper regarding suspended sentences given, in one case to a soldier who beat a woman unconscious, and in another where a homeless man was savagely attacked (“Teenager walks free after ‘savage and cowardly’ attack on vulnerable homeless man”, News, 19th) must send a worrying message to ordinary citizens expecting our judiciary to deal with these random acts of violence. There has been plenty of debate about the rise in random acts of violence on our streets and while most of us might fear such an attack, it looks like those carrying out this violence have nothing to fear if brought before the courts. – Yours, etc,

DAVID GORDON,

Clondalkin,

Dublin 22.

Sir, – The message from Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday was loud and clear.

A man can beat a woman unconscious in a random and unprovoked attack, boast about it on social media, deny culpability until confronted with CCTV evidence, and spend not a single minute in prison. – Yours, etc,

ALAN MURPHY,

Knocklyon,

Dublin 16.

Sir, – The outcome of a recent case in our courts has left this female citizen astonished and shocked to the core. It would seem the only solace for the victim is that she survived to tell her story.

Official Ireland needs to grow up and start taking the hard decisions required with regard to violence against women. – Yours, etc,

BARBARA KEOGH,

Glasnevin,

Dublin 11.

Sir, – Is it any wonder women don’t want to join the Defence Forces? – Yours, etc,

CLAIRE BRADLEY,

Swords,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – For a man to beat a passing woman on a public street into unconsciousness, causing her serious physical, emotional and mental trauma, and just receive a suspended sentence for such an unprovoked assault, is a travesty of justice.

The DPP has a duty to appeal this ruling to restore belief in our justice system. – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN BUTLER,

Drumcondra,

Dublin 9.

Sir, – This sentence is sending out all the wrong signals at a time when violence against women is increasing. – Yours, etc,

GEOFF SCARGILL,

Bray,

Co Wicklow.

Sir, – I am the mother of two teenage daughters.

This week the message from the Irish justice system to my daughters is that you can make the most vile, evil, and abusive comments to a young female athlete or a young female can be viciously beaten unconscious and the consequences for the offenders are at best limited and at worst non-existent.

Irish society is in a very dark place. – Yours, etc,

JACQUI O’GRADY,

Knocknacarra,

Galway.

Sir, – If Cathal Crotty is truly “ashamed and embarrassed”, he has the option of giving up the uniform that he has dishonoured. – Yours, etc,

DARA HOGAN,

Greystones,

Co Wicklow.