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Court shown CCTV footage in Lunney attack trial

Jun 3, 2021 16:15 By News Northern Sound
Court shown CCTV footage in Lunney attack trial
Kevin Lunney. Photo: QIH
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The trial is expected to take 12 weeks.

The Special Criminal Court has been hearing from Kevin Lunney and the first people on the scene after he was found.

It was also shown CCTV footage allegedly showing 67 year old Luke O’Reilly of Mullahoran, Co Cavan buying a bottle of bleach on the night of the attack.

Kevin Lunney gave evidence for two hours this morning, during which he outlined events on September 17th 2019.

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He says those responsible told him to resign from Quinn Industrial Holdings and not to speak to Gardaí or they would return.

The Court today heard Kevin Lunney feared for his life during the incident on September 17th 2019.

He’s outlined the events of that evening when he was taken from close to his home, before being badly beaten and left by the roadside.

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He claims during the attack he was told he should resign from QIH, along with three other named directors. He says he was also told ongoing court cases and injunctions both in Northern Ireland and the Republic, should be dropped.

Mr Lunney told the Court the men responsible for the attack said “we just want to talk to you, we’re not going to kill you.

He’s outlined how he was pushed into the boot of a car after his vehicle was rammed in the laneway to his house and he was pulled from it by men wearing balaclavas.

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He says he had tried to escape from the boot as the car was travelling from the lane but he received a blow to the face from one of the men involved and was pushed back into the boot.

He was then taken to a container in a yard, inside which he was again told he and three other directors should resign and drop any ongoing court cases.

His face was cut up to four times on each side, his clothes were cut off him, his fingernails were cut and had the letters QIH carved into his chest. He was also doused in bleach in a bid to remove any DNA.

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He says he was then told he would be let go but he would need to be roughed up. One of the attackers then hit his right leg twice, breaking it. He was then hit up to 20 times with a wooden implement.

Mr Lunney required 20 stitches on his face and a pin the length of his lower right leg.

He says he was warned not to speak to gardaí and to not tell them about a “gang of Dubs” or they would be back.

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He then says he was put in the back of a van and driven from there before be left by a roadside. He dragged himself up to 70metres to a crossroads where he was helped by a passer by in a tractor who raised the alarm.

The Court his afternoon heard from Aaron Brady who was driving that tractor and discovered Mr Lunney in a ditch by the road.

He said Kevin Lunney asked him to call a PSNI officer and he also called family members and Gardaí who came to the scene.

The Court was also shown CCTV footage from Lynch’s Gala shop in Killydoon which showed a man buying a bottle of bleach on the evening of the attack.

That man is allegedly one of the defendants, 67 year old Luke O’Reilly of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cava

It's alleged he bought the bleach and handed it on to two other defendants who used it in a bid to remove any of their DNA from Mr Lunney's body.

Gardaí from Cavan who responded and carried out inquiries as part of the investigation also gave evidence today.

The four defendents, Luke O’Reilly (67), with an address at Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan; Darren Redmond (27), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3; Alan O’Brien (40), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 and a fourth accused man who can’t be named, have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and assault.

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