Vehicle in Lunney probe ‘was burned in Garda custody’
A VEHICLE recovered in the investigation into the alleged abduction of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney was “burned, apparently accidentally” while in Garda custody, Dublin’s Special Criminal Court has heard.
Lawyers for one of the accused men told the non-jury court yesterday that they did not know what happened to the vehicle, but that they would be “grateful” if the gardai and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) could “tell us all they know”.
The court fixed January 11, 2021, as the date for the trial of the four accused.
They are: Luke O’reilly (66), from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan; Darren Redmond (25), from Caledon Road, East Wall, in Dublin; Alan O’brien (39), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, and a fourth accused who cannot be named for legal reasons.
They are all charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019.
Mr Lunney was found on a road by a passing tractor, having suffered a broken leg and been doused in bleach.
In an interview with the BBC last year, Mr Lunney alleged the letters ‘QIH’ were carved into his chest with a Stanley knife during a two-and-a-half hour ordeal.
Counsel for the fourth accused, Michael O’higgins SC, told the court yesterday that a vehicle in respect of which evidence was gathered was apparently “burned” while in Garda custody, “apparently accidentally”.
Mr O’higgins said he did not have full details on what happened to the vehicle and “the easiest thing to do would be for the State to tell us all they know”.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the three-judge court, put it to prosecuting lawyers that the matter seemed to be “of concern”.
Counsel for the DPP, Gareth Baker BL, replied that the State was “looking into it”.
“You’ll have to do more than look into it,” the judge replied.
Separately, Mr Baker said disclosure was ongoing at the moment, with up to 50,000 documents being scanned electronically.
Mr Justice Hunt urged the prosecution to conclude the disclosure process before the end of July.
Mr O’brien was remanded in custody to appear before the court again on July 6, when his lawyers will try to have the charges thrown out. The fourth accused was also remanded in custody.
Mr O’reilly and Mr Redmond were granted High Court bail in April, despite Garda objections.
Granting both men bail at the time, Mr Justice Paul Burns said the alleged abduction and assault on Mr Lunney was “vicious, cruel and abhorrent” criminal behaviour.
He said any charges arising out of the incident must be viewed as serious.
Mr Justice Burns said the alleged abduction and assault on Mr Lunney was preceded by a “series of attacks on QIH”, but it was “fully accepted” that neither Mr O’reilly nor Mr Redmond were suspected of being involved in those earlier incidents.
He said the alleged abduction and assault on Mr Lunney was the “culmination of a campaign of harassment and intimidation” of the QIH directors. The court was entitled to “contextualise” the alleged abduction and assault, while bearing in mind the presumption of innocence, he added.