Lunney reacts to abduction case outcome

Mr Lunney (51) was abducted before being tortured in a horse trailer in September 2019

Local businessman Kevin Lunney has thanked the authorities and Justices of the Special Criminal Court after three men were found guilty of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing him harm.

A fourth man, Luke O'Reilly (68) with an address at Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy in Co Cavan, was found not guilty and acquitted by the Special Criminal Court.

“On behalf of myself and my family I want to thank the gardaí, PSNI, DPP and the Justices of the Special Criminal Court for their diligence, time and effort in bringing the investigation and trial to this point,” said Mr Lunney in a statement issued this afternoon after the verdicts were given. “I also want to thank all those who supported my family at the time of and since the attack, most especially my colleagues at Mannok, the local community and the countless friends and strangers for their prayers and well wishes.”

Mr Lunney added his “sincere gratitude” too to the wider community for their “exceptional level of assistance to the authorities throughout the investigation.”

Mr Lunney (51) was an executive at Quinn Industrial Holdings, when he was abducted and bundled into the boot of a car before being tortured in a horse trailer on September 17, 2019.

Mr Lunney had his leg was broken, was doused in bleach, and had the letters 'QIH' etched into his chest.

The court was told that his attackers repeatedly told the businessman to resign as a director of the company, before eventually dumping him beaten and bloodied on a rural roadside near Cornafean.

The prosecution alleged that the attack had been coordinated by convicted criminal Cyril 'Dublin Jimmy' McGuinness, who died in police custody in the UK in November 2019.

Mannok, the company which Mr Lunney serves at Chief Operations Officer, also welcomed today’s verdict.

“These convictions are the result of a detailed joint cross-border investigation by the Garda Síochana and PSNI and we are very grateful to them for their commitment, and to the large number of people in the local community who assisted the authorities.

“We would also like to thank the presiding Judges for their detailed consideration of the case and note today’s commentary in respect of the likely involvement of other parties in this terrible act. We trust the ongoing investigation into the identity of those who procured this terrible act will yield results and allow Kevin and all of our directors and staff to get on with the job of continuing to run and grow this vital, community-based business free from the threat of violence or intimidation.”

The Special Criminal Court found Alan O'Brien (40) of Shelmalier Road in East Wall, Dublin and Darren Redmond (27) from Caledon Road in East Wall, Dublin, guilty on both counts.

The court also convicted another 40-year-old man, who cannot be named, on both counts.

All four men had denied the charges.

The men will be sentenced on November 22.