Kidnapping of Kevin Lunney

On 17 September 2019 Kevin Lunney, chief operating officer of Quinn Industrial Holdings, was abducted from his home near Derrylin, beaten and left near Drumcoghill, Co. Cavan.[1][2][3]

Abduction

On the 17 September 2019, he drove into the laneway leading to his home and noticed a white car ahead of him, which quickly reversed into his car.[4] He locked the doors but two men smashed the windows and dragged him out.[4] A third man threatened him with a Stanley knife, telling him to get into the boot of a black Audi.[4] The attackers then set Lunneys' car and the white car on fire.[4]

Lunney managed to unlock the boot and tried to escape but was beaten and thrown back into the car.[4]

He was then driven across the border to County Cavan to a place he described as "an old farmyard space" and taken inside a horsebox.[4] The man with the knife said, "You know why you're here. It's about QIH and you're going to resign", to which Kevin Lunney said "Yes".[4]

The man with the knife then ran the knife under each of Lunneys' nails, then the gang poured bleach over his hands and rubbed them roughly with a rag.[4] They then cut his clothes off, leaving deep cuts, poured bleach on the cuts and rubbed them roughly with a rag.[4] Kevin Lunney thought he was screaming, but didn't remember.[4]

The gang told Lunney they had watched him, his family and the other directors and if the directors did not resign the gang would come after them.[4]

The man with the knife also cut Lunneys' face five or six times on each side of his face and cut the letters "QIH" into Lunneys' chest.[4] His leg was hit with a short fencepost or baseball bat - he heard it break.[4] His leg was hit a second time, leaving it broken in two places.[4]

The gang said "We have to rough you up, we have to mark you, we have to make sure you remember."[4]

He was dumped on the side of a road in County Cavan.[4] He feared he was going to die as he was cold, in excruciating pain and losing blood.[4]

He was found by a man driving a tractor saw him on the side of the road around 21:00 BST and called the Gardaí.[4]

Reactions

Seán Quinn has condemned the violence.[1][4] In an interview with Channel 4 News Seán Quinn said that he no longer wanted to regain control of his former businesses.[5]

Father Oliver O'Reilly, the parish priest of Ballyconnell in County Cavan, condemned the attack, said that a mafia-style campaign has shrouded the community in fear.[6] The Association of Catholic Priests praised Father O'Reilly for his stance against attacks on the executives.[7][8]

In November 2019 it emerged that Seán Quinn had written a letter to senior figures in the Vatican as well as the Papal Nuncio to Ireland Jude Thaddeus Okolo to complain about a homily by Father O'Reilly.[7][9][8] In the letter, Mr. Quinn denied having any "hand, act or part" in the attack on Kevin Lunney and that his family had been "frightened and intimidated by being falsely accused of complicity in the attack from the altar in public, by my own priest".[7][8] The homily did not name anybody but referred to a "paymaster" which Quinn wrote is "clear and false reference" to him.[7] The letter was also sent to Father O'Reilly and to Monsignor Liam Kelly, who administers the Kilmore diocese.[7] Mr. Quinn met the Monsignor of the Diocese of Kilmore and also called to Father O'Reillys' home to discuss the matter.[8]

Police investigations

Members of both an Garda Síochána and PSNI are investigating the attack.[4]

In November 2019, Cyril McGuinness, chief suspect in the kidnapping, died in a police raid on his home in Buxton, Derbyshire.[10][6] The cause of death was reported to be a heart attack and the death is being investigated by Independent Office for Police Conduct.[10]

Raids and arrests

On 8 November 2019 Cyril McGuinness died after taking ill during a police raid on a house in Buxton, Derbyshire.[3] He was a known criminal and smuggler.[3] The cause of death was reported to be a heart attack and the death is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.[10]

On the morning of 14 November 2019 a woman, her son and an unrelated male were arrested in relation to the kidnap.[11] The woman was held under section 30 of the Offences against the State Acts 1939 while the men were detained under the Criminal Justice Act 2007.[3] The mother and son are thought to be related to someone involved in the kidnapping and the other man is thought to have supplied a vehicle.[11] They were being held in Garda stations in Kells, Cavan and Monaghan.[2] They were released and a file sent to the DPP[12]

On the morning of 26 November 2019 four men appeared in district court in Virginia, County Cavan and were charged with the assault and false imprisonment of Kevin Lunney.[13][14][15] They were Luke O'Reilly of Kilcogy, County Cavan, Alan O'Brien and Darren Redmond - both of East Wall, Dublin and a fourth man who cannot be named for legal reasons.[13] Luke O'Reilly and the fourth man were remanded to custody.[13] Bail applications were made on behalf of Alan O’Brien and Darren Redmond - Gardaí objected on several grounds including those relating to evidence and witness intimidation.[13][15] Judge Denis McLoughlin refused both applications and all four were remanded to Castlerea Prison.[13][15]

On 28 April 2020 the High Court granted bail to Luke O'Reilly and Darren Richmond against Garda objections.[16][17] The two men had been served with books of evidence on 26 March 2020 and they appeared on video link from Portlaoise Prison.[16][17] The judge said that the crime they were charged with constituted vicious cruel and abhorrent behaviour but the prosecution had just failed to provide enough evidence to meet the standard for the court to refuse bail.[16] The judge granted bail, but emphasised that stringent conditions were attached.[16][17]

O'Reilly was required to enter his own bond of €75,000 with a cash bond of €10,000 and that he should not attempt to dissipate or lessen the value of property owned by him.[16][18] He is also to surrender his passport and not apply for any duplicate passport or travel documents.[16][18] He must reside at an alternative address in County Westmeath, sign on at Athlone Garda Station twice daily, obey a curfew between 8am and 8pm, provide his mobile phone number to Gardaí, keep the phone charged at all times and not come within 10km of Kevin Lunny's home or place of business.[16][18] He was also not to have any contact with Kevin Lunney or any other prosecution witness, not leave the jurisdiction or travel to Northern Ireland.[16][18]

Redmon was granted bail on his own bond of €3,000 and two independent sureties of €10,000.[16] He must reside at his address in East Wall, Dublin and sign on at Store Street Garda station twice daily and obey a curfew.[16][18] The condition regarding dissipation of assets do not apply to him.[16][18]

The accused must make no contact between themselves and if it was necessary for them to be in contact they must contact Gardaí.[16] The requirement to sign on in Garda stations is suspended during the COVID-19 restrictions.[18]

The case is in for mention at the Special Criminal Court on 10 June 2020.[17]

Trial

On 10 June 2020 the date for the trial of the four men was set to begin on 21 January 2021 in the Special Criminal Court.[19] Prosecution told the judge that the case involves 50,000 documents.[19] O'Reilly and Redmond had their bail extended until January while O'Brien and the man who cannot be named were remanded in custody.[19]

On 14 August the man who cannot be named brought a High Court challenge against the Special Criminal Court's jurisdiction to hear his trial.[20] He claims that the DPP's decision that he should not be tried before a jury is a significant curtailment of his constitutional rights.[20]

On 5 January 2021 the trial was postponed to 1 February because of a spike in the number of cases of COVID-19.[21]

References
  1. "'People don't know who'll be next': How a campaign of intimidation came to Fermanagh and Cavan". TheJournal.ie. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  2. Hussey, Sinéad (14 November 2019). "Three arrests in Kevin Lunney attack investigation". RTE News. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  3. PA Media (14 November 2019). "Irish police arrest three people over Kevin Lunney abduction". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  4. "Kevin Lunney abduction: QIH director tells of torture by gang". BBC News. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. "Lunney attack: Sean Quinn no longer wants to take back control of his former businesses". TheJournal.ie. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  6. Carroll, Rory (8 November 2019). "Suspected gang leader dies in police raid over Irish torture case". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  7. Hogan, Laura (17 November 2019). "Priest took 'very brave' stance over Quinn Industrial Holdings attacks". RTE News. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  8. "Clerics defend Fr Oliver O'Reilly after Quinn complains to Vatican". The Irish Times. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  9. Sheehan, Maeve (17 November 2019). "'Protect me from this priest' - Sean Quinn's plea to Vatican after Kevin Lunney homily". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  10. "Kevin Lunney abduction: Suspect Cyril McGuinness dies". BBC News. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  11. O'Keefe, Cormac (14 November 2019). "Pressure mounts on Kevin Lunney kidnap gang following arrests". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  12. "Three arrested in connection with Kevin Lunney attack released". Irish Independent. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  13. McElroy, Aaron (26 November 2019). "Four men appear in court charged with assault and false imprisonment of Kevin Lunney". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  14. Digital Desk staff (26 November 2019). "Four men due in court in connection with Kevin Lunney abduction". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  15. Digital Desk staff (26 November 2019). "Kevin Lunney abduction charges: Gardaí object to bail, citing potential witness intimidation". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  16. O'Riordan, Alison (28 April 2020). "Men charged over Kevin Lunney abduction granted bail after video-link hearing from Portlaoise Prison". The Journal. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  17. "Two men charged over Lunney attack bailed at High Court". RTE News. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  18. Giblin, Ruaidhrí (28 April 2020). "Two of Kevin Lunney's accused abductors granted bail by High Court". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  19. Nellan, Paul (10 June 2020). "Four men to stand trial charged with false imprisonment and assault of Kevin Lunney". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  20. O'Faolain, Aodhan; Managh, Ray (14 August 2020). "Man facing trial over Kevin Lunney false imprisonment brings High Court challenge". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  21. Neilan, Paul (5 January 2021). "Trial of men accused of abducting Kevin Lunney delayed over Covid concerns". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
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