Kevin Lunney abduction: Priest makes fresh appeal for information on ‘paymaster’ behind vicious attack on Mannok director

A border priest has urged anyone with information on the ‘paymaster’ behind the vicious kidnapping of Kevin Lunney to come forward to the authorities.
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Three men guilty of abducting and torturing Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney have been given sentences ranging from 18 to 30 years.

Mr Lunney, 51, was kidnapped outside his Fermanagh home in September 2019 and seriously assaulted. Garda and the PSNI are still seeking to apprehend the so-called ‘paymaster’ behind the attack.

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“I am reiterating my call for anyone with information about him to come forward to the authorities,” Ballyconnell parish priest Rev Oliver O’Reilly told the News Letter.

Kevin Lunney suffered extensive injuries in the kidnapping.Kevin Lunney suffered extensive injuries in the kidnapping.
Kevin Lunney suffered extensive injuries in the kidnapping.

“I would say I am quite confident that he will be held accountable. Obviously it has been an onerous task to gather enough evidence to charge someone. They don’t want to arrest anyone until they are sure they have got enough evidence.”

The trial heard that Cyril McGuinness, also known as Dublin Jimmy, played a key role in organising the attack. He died from a suspected heart attack during a police raid on his home in Derbyshire in November 2019, where police seized a number of mobile phones.

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“Getting the phones of Dublin Jimmy was like a huge treasure trove to the investigation,” said Rev O’Reilly, who has repeatedly condemned threats against QIH’s management.

He understands that the phones have opened up major lines of investigation and potential evidence to apprehend the paymaster.

“Tensions are still high in the local community as loyalties are so divided over the issue - even among families,” he added.

The business empire would still be the largest employer by far in the area.

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The Special Criminal Court in Dublin indicated the mystery “paymaster” who funded the abduction could face life imprisonment if convicted,

Mr Justice Tony Hunt issued the warning on Monday as the non-jury court imposed sentences of up to 30 years on three men over their role in the attack of “calculated savagery” on Mr Lunney.

The gravity of these crimes involving a level of permanent harm to the victim not usually found in so-called tiger kidnappings should be marked by “very lengthy” determinate sentences, he said.

This trio were prepared to do “very dirty work” for the organisers but headline life sentences should be reserved for those “that organised, financed or potentially obtained significant benefits from these crimes”.

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The five directors of QIH, now rebranded Mannok, are still getting police and garda protection and have been officially informed that the threat level against them remains as high as it has ever been. However, they are hopeful of an end to the campaign. “Until that time comes, nobody can be assured of a normal existence here,” said Mannok director John McCartin.

Cavan Supt Padraic Jones, who led the investigation, said inquiries do not stop with the conviction of three gang members, as officers continue to work on the wider case.

“I’m continuing to appeal to the public for their assistance in progressing the ongoing investigations,” he said.

The Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said a number of individuals are to be reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions as part of the ongoing investigation into the abduction of Mr Lunney.

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He described the conviction of three men at the Special Criminal Court as “a good start,” but insisted gardaí still have work to do to uncover “the wider conspiracy”.

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