Alan Harte named after 30-year sentence for Kevin Lunney kidnapping

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Alan Harte was named after the High Court lifted an anonymity order on 18 January 2022, following his 30-year sentence for kidnapping and causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney.

The Special Criminal Court sentenced Harte last month for falsely imprisoning and causing serious harm to Lunney in 2019. The offences took place at a yard in Drumbrade, Ballinagh, County Cavan, on 17 September 2019.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan lifted the order after rejecting Harte’s application for a further extension. The judge said the case did not fall within the exceptional circumstances that justified keeping the names of convicted people from the public.

The court had temporarily continued the order while Harte faced other unrelated criminal matters. The judge said safeguards remained available to address any claimed risk of prejudice in future proceedings.