‘Extensive investigation’ taking place into Lunney attack – State solicitor

Four in Castlerea court charged with assault, false imprisonment of businessman in 2019

Kevin Lunney was abducted from outside his Co Fermanagh home and assaulted before being dumped on a road in Co Cavan last September. Photograph: BBC Spotlight
Kevin Lunney was abducted from outside his Co Fermanagh home and assaulted before being dumped on a road in Co Cavan last September. Photograph: BBC Spotlight

The State solicitor for Roscommon said he is hopeful that a file will be ready in the coming weeks for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to the investigation into the abduction and false imprisonment of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney.

Kieran Madigan said a "very extensive investigation" was being carried out and that over 1,000 lines of enquiry were involved.

Mr Madigan, the State solicitor for Roscommon, told Harristown District Court in Castlerea that the case was progressing as quickly as possible.

Four men appeared before the court on Friday morning charged with assault causing harm and false imprisonment of Mr Lunney in Cavan in September last year.

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Judge James Faughnan was told that the four men were in custody since November 26th last year.

Darren Redmond (25) from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin and Alan O'Brien (38) of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, were remanded to appear again before Harristown District Court next Friday, January 24th.

Luke O'Reilly (66) from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan, was remanded to appear before the same court on February 14th.

A fourth defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was remanded to appear before Harristown District Court next Friday.

Mr Madigan said that it was hoped to have a file ready for the DPP by the end of the month or early in February but said that it was a complex case.

He said that there were over 1,000 lines of enquiry, 400 statements and “very extensive” CCTV footage had been “harvested” and that it took considerable time to analyse all of this.

In addition, Mr Madigan said that there was a large amount of phone data which had to be investigated.

Judge Faughnan said it was a complicated matter as he remanded three of the men in custody until next week and the fourth man until February 14th.