Jail terms of up to 30 years for Lunney attackers

Purpose of the “callous and vicious” assault was to terrorise Mr Lunney and others

Three men who abducted and tortured local businessman Kevin Lunney have been jailed at the Special Criminal Court.

Kevin Lunney was attacked and kidnapped by the three men when he arrived home from work in Co Fermanagh on September 17, 2019.

Alan O'Brien (40) from Shelmalier Road in East Wall in Dublin has been jailed for 25 years for his role.

Darren Redmond (27), the youngest of the three accused, from Caledon Road in East Wall in Dublin has been jailed for 18 years, with the final three suspended.

A third man, age 40, and who it's alleged inflicted the most serious injuries on Mr Lunney, was jailed for 30 years. That man, named YZ, cannot be named for legal reasons.

The three men were all found guilty of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan.

The three-judge, non-jury court, heard pleas of mitigation from lawyers for the three men at their sentencing hearing on November 22.

On that occasion, Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said the court should set a pre-mitigation sentence for the three men of between 15 years and life imprisonment. He said aggravating factors included the “severity and viciousness” of the assault, the evidence that it was planned and included surveillance of Mr Lunney who was abducted from outside his home, driven to an isolated location, threatened, assaulted and warned that there would be further violence if he reported what happened.

Mr Lunney wrote a victim impact statement for the court, which was read out by Detective Garda Linda Harkin at that sentencing hearing.

Mr Lunney wrote that he thinks every day of the effect the ordeal has on his wife and children, saying: “The anguish they have had to endure is a greater torment to me than the physical pain of the attack.”

He said that he was glad that, following the verdict, he and his family had been able to “put it out of our immediate focus” but added that “events like this can never be erased and we will need to find continuing strength and solace in the support and comfort of many good people in the times ahead.”

In his statement Mr Lunney said the campaign of intimidation against Quinn Industrial Holdings, now Mannok, of which he is a director, “was intensely difficult for those directly targeted and a cause of much apprehension and fear in the wider community.”

Mr Justice Tony Hunt handed down the sentences today at the three-judge, non-jury court, saying that the only reason he did not impose a life sentence on any of the three men was that the most severe penalties should be reserved for those who finance or benefit from these types of crimes.

He said the purpose of the “callous and vicious” assault was to terrorise Mr Lunney and others to prevent them going about their lawful business.

He said there was “chilling” evidence of the “deliberate and sinister” surveillance of Mr Lunney and his family, including his daughter in the lead up to the abduction and assault.

More to follow.