Judges view CCTV footage in Kevin Lunney abduction trial

Barristers for four accused men challenging the admissibility of the video evidence

The Special Criminal Court has been watching CCTV footage compiled by gardaí during the investigation into the abduction and assault of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney (pictured). Photograph: BBC Spotlight.
The Special Criminal Court has been watching CCTV footage compiled by gardaí during the investigation into the abduction and assault of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney (pictured). Photograph: BBC Spotlight.

The Special Criminal Court has been watching CCTV footage compiled by gardaí during the investigation into the abduction and assault of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney.

Det Garda Alan Jones has spent three days taking prosecution counsel Seán Guerin SC through footage from various locations in Dublin, Cavan, Westmeath and Louth from different dates in 2019.

Mr Guerin has told the court that some of the footage is intended to show interactions between people and vehicles that were allegedly used in the commission of the offences.

One series of clips allegedly shows a Renault Kangoo van being left at a yard in Duleek, Co Meath on October 23rd, 2019, a month after the attack on Mr Lunney. Mr Guerin has previously said the van travelled from Dublin to Cavan and back to Dublin on the day Mr Lunney was abducted.

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Admissibility

Barristers for the accused are challenging the admissibility of the CCTV evidence.

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 Luke O’Reilly (67), with an address at Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan have all pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17th, 2019.

Mr Lunney 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 as a director of QIH.

His abductors cut him with a Stanley knife, stripped him to his boxer shorts, doused him in bleach, broke his leg with two blows of a wooden bat, beat him on the ground, cut his face and scored the letters QIH into his chest. They left him bloodied, beaten and shivering on a country road at Drumcoghill, Co Cavan where he was discovered by a man driving a tractor.

The trial continues.