Another protest is planned today in Limerick over the suspended sentence handed down to a serving soldier who was convicted of assault last week. Two years ago, 22 year-old Cathal Crotty beat his victim, Natasha O'Brien, until she was unconscious and later bragged about it on social media. The 24 year-old woman was set upon in the unprovoked attack after she asked him to stop shouting homophobic slurs at people in the street. Crotty avoided jail time after the judge took his guilty plea and his career in the Defence Forces into account. Natasha O'Brien went public with her dismay at the outcome and it is widely expected the case will be referred to the Court of Appeal. Tom O’Malley, barrister, author, law lecturer and Ireland’s foremost expert in sentencing, offers this explainer on how sentencing works in Ireland, the factors that are taken into consideration and why a suspended sentence can sometimes be the appropriate response.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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