Thomas E. O'Donnell (judge)

Thomas E. O'Donnell is a judge of the Irish Circuit Court since 2011.^[1] Prior to his appointment, he was a judge of the Irish District Court from 1998.^[2]

Born in Limerick of a distinguished legal family^[3] he was educated at Crescent College, Limerick and at Mungret College, Limerick. He studied law at University College Dublin and was enrolled as a solicitor in 1976.^[4] He was assigned as judge of the District Court for Limerick City in 1999,^[5] where he was "highly regarded".^[6] In 2014, he was assigned as the sole Judge for the South Western circuit,^[7] which includes the counties of Limerick, Clare and Kerry, and in part coincides geographically with the old Munster Circuit^[8] described by Maurice Healy. 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.^[9]

On 20 June 2024, Judge O'Donnell caused controversy in his ruling for Cathal Crotty, a 22-year-old private in the Defence Forces 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.^[10]

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."^[11]

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. Women's Aid 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.^[10]

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 a savage and cowardly outing by the three people involved – it deserves a custodial sentence – but I take into account that the accused [Holland] has no previous convictions, and he has come forward on a signed guilty plea”.

The judge did not impose an immediate custodial sentence on Holland, because Holland had pleaded guilty and had no previous convictions.

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”.

• Irish Courts Service
• University College Dublin