Kevin Lunney: Men who kidnapped and tortured businessman jailed for 70 years

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Three men found guilty of the kidnap and assault of businessman Kevin Lunney have been jailed at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

Mr Lunney, 51, was kidnapped close to his home in Co Fermanagh on the evening of September 17 2019.

One of the men, referred to as “YZ” who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he inflicted the most serious injuries against Mr Lunney.

Alan O’Brien, 40, of Shelmalier Road in East Wall in Dublin, was jailed for 25 years.

Darren Redmond, 27, from Caledon Road also in East Wall, was sentenced to 18 years, with the final three years suspended.

Mr Lunney, a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, had his leg broken, was doused in bleach and the letters QIH were carved into his chest before he was dumped on a roadside in Co Cavan.

During his abduction ordeal, his attackers repeatedly demanded that the father of six resign his position as a director of the company.

Sentencing the three men, Justice Tony Hunt said that serious harm was inflicted against Kevin Lunney during a “vicious assault”.

The judge said that Mr Lunney was permanently injured in an “exceptionally specific way”.

Justice Hunt described one of the men, “YZ”, as the “ringleader” of the group and that he he targeted Mr Lunney in a “deliberate, sinister and intimidating” manner.

He said that it was “particularly disturbing” when the man made a reference to Mr Lunney’s daughter.

The judge said that Mr Lunney was assaulted, threatened and taken to an isolated location where he was tortured by his abductors.

Extreme violence was used during the attack and Mr Lunney was stripped of almost all of his clothes.

Justice Hunt said that Mr Lunney was dumped at the side of road on a chilly September night and “left for dead”.

“No doubt Mr Lunney believed his life was in danger.

"He could have died from his injuries, hypothermia or be struck by a vehicle,” Justice Hunt added.

He also praised Mr Lunney for his “measured and careful” victim impact statement.

He said the businessman displayed “remarkable courage and resilience”, and would no doubt carry emotional baggage as a result of the attack.

The attack was organised and supervised by Cyril McGuinness, a convicted criminal known as Dublin Jimmy, who died in November 2019.

Justice Hunt said the attack was purposively performed to “terrorise and intimidate others” not to the “taste of McGuinness”.

Justice Hunt said that handing out a lower sentence would act as an incentive rather than a deterrent to such crimes.

He said that the these crimes fell into the exceptionally serious category and involved a level of permanent harm.

He said there was also a callous and flagrant disregard for Mr Lunney’s constitutional rights.

During a sentencing hearing later in November, a Garda detective read out a victim impact statement from Mr Lunney to the three judges who presided over the non-jury trial.

In the statement, Mr Lunney said:

“I know the physical scars and mental trauma of the events of September 17 2019 will remain with me and my family for the rest of our lives.”

“I remain conscious that events like this can never be erased and that we will need to find continuing strength and solace in the support and comfort of many good people in the times ahead.

“I hope and pray we can remain resilient.”

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