Sergeant mediated between local gardai and Lunney accused, trial hears

A sergeant told the Special Criminal Court that he mediated between gardaí and one of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. The accused man, who cannot be identified, attended Store Street garda station in Dublin on 6 May 2019 and asked gardaí to cease contact with his family following bereavements. Sergeant Fergal McDonagh agreed to liaise with local gardaí and subsequently assured the man that police would continue their inquiries but would not harass his family. During the trial, the sergeant provided evidence linking the accused to a phone number prosecutors allege was used during the abduction. The four accused, with addresses in Dublin and County Cavan, have each pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney on 17 September 2019 at Ballinagh. The court viewed CCTV footage from motorways and surrounding areas from September 2019. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and two additional judges at the Special Criminal Court.