THE man who allegedly organised the abduction of businessman Kevin Lunney was "not a good yoke", one of the men accused of involvement in the crime told gardaí.
Luke O'Reilly (67), of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan, told officers that now-deceased Cyril McGuinness was "not good news".
Mr O'Reilly also said he was "actually shocked" to discover that Mr Lunney had been held in a trailer on his land.
The Special Criminal Court trial of four men accused of Mr Lunney's abduction and assault yesterday heard that Mr O'Reilly was interviewed by gardaí over several days after being arrested in November 2019.
He told officers the only reason he was speaking to Mr McGuinness by phone around the time of the abduction was to talk about a vehicle that Mr McGuinness was transporting for him to Cavan.
He said Mr McGuinness, who he knew as Dublin Jimmy, had imported vehicles and parts for him in the past but he "didn't want to be with him. He's not good news, is he?" He added: "It's the way he is and he's not a good yoke."
A 40-year-old man known as YZ, Alan O’Brien (40), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3; Darren Redmond (27), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, and Mr O'Reilly have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019.
Mr Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, has told the court that he was bundled into the boot of a car near his home and driven to a container where he was threatened and told to resign from QIH.
His abductors then cut him with a Stanley knife, doused him in bleach, broke his leg, beat him, cut his face and scored the letters QIH into his chest.
The trial continues.
