267:
Aaron
Holland (19) carried out an unprovoked attack on a homeless vulnerable man with two other males. The attack was described by the sentencing judge, Tom O'Donnell as “absolutely and utterly appalling, and outrageous” according to the Irish Times. However, despite this, the judge stated: “This was
279:
Pat Ryan pleaded guilty to lying during criminal proceedings against him over alleged speeding. The judge, Tom O'Donnell, granted Ryan an appeal. Even though, perjury is an offence, the judge stated that “the impact of a conviction of this nature would be completely disproportionate”.
212:
and was enrolled as a solicitor in 1976. He was assigned as judge of the
District Court for Limerick City in 1999, where he was "highly regarded". In 2014, he was assigned as the sole Judge for the South Western circuit, which includes the counties of
253:
Reaction on social media denounced the sentence as outrageous, disgraceful and lacking any real justice and declaring their support for O'Brien. Politicians of all levels commended
Natasha O'Brien and condemned violence against women.
245:
who pleaded guilty to assaulting 24-year-old
Natasha O'Brien in Limerick. Crotty, who boasted and bragged about the assault on social media the night of the attack, received a three-year fully suspended sentence from Judge O'Donnell.
249:
Ms O'Brien criticised the sentence and said: "I lost my job because of his (Crotty's) actions, because I was so impacted by what he did, but this judge doesn't want to jail him because it will mean he will lose his job."
268:
a savage and cowardly outing by the three people involved – it deserves a custodial sentence – but I take into account that the accused has no previous convictions, and he has come forward on a signed guilty plea”.
233:. Judge O'Donnell has three sons. His second son, Mark O'Donnell, represented the Qatar International Rugby team in the 2016 West Asian Division 3 Championship, having qualified under the three year residency rule.
258:
CEO Sarah Benson said that a verdict which saw a soldier avoiding a jail term after beating a woman unconscious, calls into question
Ireland's national strategy of zero tolerance of violence against women.
558:
548:
543:
538:
271:
The judge did not impose an immediate custodial sentence on
Holland, because Holland had pleaded guilty and had no previous convictions.
409:
389:
369:
351:
297:
241:
On 20 June 2024, Judge O'Donnell caused controversy in his ruling for Cathal Crotty, a 22-year-old private in the
441:
209:
170:
242:
190:
94:
186:
39:
533:
230:
117:
74:
485:
553:
464:
333:
315:
201:
394:
214:
205:
489:
255:
486:"Soldier who 'took pride' in beating woman unconscious in Limerick street avoids jail"
527:
374:
129:
86:
222:
218:
414:
446:
165:
48:
469:
197:
150:
226:
410:"New judge appointed to fill Circuit Court vacancy in Kerry"
189:
since 2011. Prior to his appointment, he was a judge of the
465:"Soldier avoids jail term after beating woman unconscious"
513:
518:
225:, and in part coincides geographically with the old
200:of a distinguished legal family he was educated at
164:
156:
144:
139:
123:
111:
92:
80:
68:
37:
23:
370:"Judge Tom O'Donnell nominated to Circuit Court"
8:
356:Merrion Street Irish Government News Service
302:Merrion Street Irish Government News Service
390:"Tom O'Donnell appointed to Circuit Court"
20:
289:
459:
457:
7:
442:"Qatar National XVs Squad Announced"
559:People educated at Crescent College
549:Alumni of University College Dublin
352:"Appointment to the Circuit Court"
298:"Appointment to the Circuit Court"
14:
431:, Michael Joseph Ltd. London 1939
338:Association of Judges of Ireland
320:Association of Judges of Ireland
484:Raleigh, David (20 June 2024).
544:Circuit Court (Ireland) judges
208:, Limerick. He studied law at
1:
539:Lawyers from Limerick (city)
575:
334:"Judge Thomas E O'Donnell"
316:"Judge Thomas E O'Donnell"
519:University College Dublin
210:University College Dublin
176:
171:University College Dublin
135:
100:
56:
45:
33:
429:The Old Munster Circuit
275:Pat Ryan granted appeal
263:Aaron Holland verdict
237:Cathal Crotty verdict
229:Circuit described by
118:Government of Ireland
75:Government of Ireland
514:Irish Courts Service
191:Irish District Court
187:Irish Circuit Court
183:Thomas E. O'Donnell
28:Thomas E. O'Donnell
418:. 1 December 2014.
204:, Limerick and at
185:is a judge of the
180:
179:
566:
501:
500:
498:
496:
481:
475:
474:
461:
452:
451:
450:. 11 April 2016.
438:
432:
426:
420:
419:
406:
400:
399:
398:. 15 April 2011.
386:
380:
379:
378:. 15 April 2011.
366:
360:
359:
358:. 13 April 2011.
348:
342:
341:
330:
324:
323:
312:
306:
305:
304:. 13 April 2011.
294:
202:Crescent College
140:Personal details
126:
114:
105:
83:
71:
61:
25:His Honour Judge
21:
574:
573:
569:
568:
567:
565:
564:
563:
524:
523:
510:
505:
504:
494:
492:
483:
482:
478:
473:. 20 June 2024.
463:
462:
455:
440:
439:
435:
427:
423:
408:
407:
403:
395:Limerick Leader
388:
387:
383:
368:
367:
363:
350:
349:
345:
332:
331:
327:
314:
313:
309:
296:
295:
291:
286:
277:
265:
239:
206:Mungret College
149:
124:
112:
106:
101:
81:
69:
63:
57:
52:
29:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
572:
570:
562:
561:
556:
551:
546:
541:
536:
526:
525:
522:
521:
516:
509:
508:External links
506:
503:
502:
490:Irish Examiner
476:
453:
433:
421:
401:
381:
361:
343:
325:
307:
288:
287:
285:
282:
276:
273:
264:
261:
243:Defence Forces
238:
235:
178:
177:
174:
173:
168:
162:
161:
158:
154:
153:
146:
142:
141:
137:
136:
133:
132:
127:
121:
120:
115:
109:
108:
98:
97:
95:District Court
90:
89:
84:
78:
77:
72:
66:
65:
59:Assumed office
54:
53:
46:
43:
42:
35:
34:
31:
30:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
571:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
534:Living people
532:
531:
529:
520:
517:
515:
512:
511:
507:
491:
487:
480:
477:
472:
471:
466:
460:
458:
454:
449:
448:
443:
437:
434:
430:
425:
422:
417:
416:
411:
405:
402:
397:
396:
391:
385:
382:
377:
376:
375:Limerick Post
371:
365:
362:
357:
353:
347:
344:
339:
335:
329:
326:
321:
317:
311:
308:
303:
299:
293:
290:
283:
281:
274:
272:
269:
262:
260:
257:
251:
247:
244:
236:
234:
232:
231:Maurice Healy
228:
224:
220:
216:
211:
207:
203:
199:
194:
192:
188:
184:
175:
172:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
152:
147:
143:
138:
134:
131:
130:Mary McAleese
128:
122:
119:
116:
110:
104:
99:
96:
93:Judge of the
91:
88:
87:Mary McAleese
85:
79:
76:
73:
67:
60:
55:
51:
50:
44:
41:
40:Circuit Court
38:Judge of the
36:
32:
22:
19:
493:. Retrieved
479:
468:
445:
436:
428:
424:
413:
404:
393:
384:
373:
364:
355:
346:
337:
328:
319:
310:
301:
292:
278:
270:
266:
252:
248:
240:
195:
182:
181:
125:Appointed by
113:Nominated by
102:
82:Appointed by
70:Nominated by
58:
47:
18:
554:1954 births
415:Radio Kerry
256:Women's Aid
193:from 1998.
157:Nationality
16:Irish judge
528:Categories
447:Gulf Times
284:References
166:Alma mater
107:1998–2011
103:In office
49:Incumbent
470:RTE News
215:Limerick
198:Limerick
196:Born in
151:Limerick
495:25 June
227:Munster
223:Kerry
219:Clare
160:Irish
62:
497:2024
221:and
148:1954
145:Born
64:2011
530::
488:.
467:.
456:^
444:.
412:.
392:.
372:.
354:.
336:.
318:.
300:.
217:,
499:.
340:.
322:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.