A VEHICLE recovered in the investigation into the alleged abduction of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney was “burned, apparently accidentally” while in garda custody, the Special Criminal Court in Dublin heard yesterday.
Lawyers for one of the accused men told the non-jury court that they did not know what happened to the vehicle but that they would be “grateful” if the gardaí and Director of Public Prosecutions could “tell us all they know”.
A date of January 11, 2021 has been fixed as the date for the trial of the four accused.
They are: Luke O'Reilly (66), from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan, Darren Redmond (25), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin, Alan O’Brien (39), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall and a fourth accused who cannot be named for legal reasons.
They are all charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019.
Mr Lunney was found incapacitated on a roadway in Co Cavan by a passing tractor on the date in question, having suffered a broken leg and been doused in bleach.
In an interview with the BBC last year, Mr Lunney alleged that the letters ‘QIH’ had been carved into his chest with a Stanley knife during the two-and-a-half hour ordeal.
Counsel for the fourth accused, Michael O’Higgins SC, told the court yesterday that a vehicle in respect of which evidence was gathered was apparently “burned” while in garda custody, “apparently accidentally”.
Mr O’Higgins said he did not have full details on what happened to the vehicle and “the easiest thing to do would be for the State to tell us all they know”.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the three-judge court, put it to prosecuting lawyers that the matter seemed to be “of concern”.
Counsel for the DPP, Gareth Baker BL, replied that the State was “looking into it”.
“You’ll have to do more than look into it,” the judge replied.
Separately, Mr Baker said disclosure was ongoing at the moment, with up to 50,000 documents being scanned electronically.
Mr Justice Hunt urged the prosecution to conclude the disclosure process before the end of July.
Mr O’Brien was remanded in custody to appear before the court again on July 6. The fourth accused was also remanded in custody.
Mr O’Reilly and Mr Redmond were granted High Court bail in April, despite garda objections.
