Kevin Lunney: three convicted of abduction and serious harm

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

The Special Criminal Court convicted Alan O’Brien, Darren Redmond and a man identified only as YZ of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney on 8 November 2021. The court acquitted Luke O’Reilly of both charges. Mr Justice Tony Hunt gave the verdicts for the three-judge, non-jury court.

All four men had denied the charges. The proceedings were reported on 8 November 2021. The three convicted men were due to be sentenced on 22 November 2021.

The trial heard that Lunney was bundled into the boot of a car and driven to a horse trailer on 17 September 2019. His leg was broken, he was doused in bleach and the letters QIH were carved into his chest. His attackers repeatedly told him to resign as a company director before dumping him on a roadside in Co Cavan.

The court found that Cyril McGuinness organised and supervised the attack and said he almost certainly did not act alone. It was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that YZ inflicted serious injuries on Lunney and that O’Brien and Redmond were involved in the crimes.