Ireland Case No. 2110False imprisonment, intentionally causing harm (kidnap and torture) · Co. Cavan · 17 Sep 2019
Appeals dismissed in Cavan kidnap and torture case
Kevin Lunney, director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, was abducted near his home in Co Fermanagh on 17 September 2019 and taken to a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, where he was stripped, doused in bleach, beaten with a wooden bat, and cut with a Stanley knife. Alan Harte (43), Alan O'Brien (44) and Darren Redmond (30), all from East Wall, Dublin 3, were convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 2022 of false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm, and sentenced to 30, 25 and 18 years respectively. The High Court dismissed Harte's judicial review challenge in October 2023, and the Court of Appeal dismissed all three men's appeals against conviction on 13 January 2026. The men plan to appeal their sentences, with the matter listed for 13 February 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court16 Mar
8 reports - Convicted17 Dec
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Kevin Lunney, director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, was abducted near his home in Co Fermanagh and taken to a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, where he was stripped, doused in bleach, beaten with a wooden bat, cut with a Stanley knife, and had the words QIH carved into his chest.
- When
- The offences were committed on 17 September 2019.
- Weapon
- A Stanley knife and a wooden bat were used to inflict injuries on Lunney.
- Charges
- Alan Harte, Alan O'Brien and Darren Redmond were charged with false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm to Kevin Lunney.
- In court
- The three men were tried and convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 2022.
- The High Court dismissed Harte's judicial review challenge to his conviction and sentence in October 2023.
- The Court of Appeal dismissed all three men's appeals against conviction on 13 January 2026.
- Sentence
- Harte was sentenced to 30 years, O'Brien to 25 years, and Redmond to 18 years with the final three suspended.
- Investigation
- DNA matching Darren Redmond was found on a bar behind the front seats of a Renault Kangoo van, which was destroyed by fire while in garda custody.
- Other details
- Lunney was threatened and told to resign as a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings.
- The three men plan to appeal their sentences, with the matter listed for 13 February 2026.
99 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe offence was committing serious harm on and falsely imprisoning the QIH director at a yard in Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan in September 2019. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- whatAlan Harte lost a High Court bid to set aside his conviction and 30-year prison sentence for his role in the kidnapping and attack on Kevin Lunney. (irishtimes.com)
- whatLunney was doused in bleach, had his shin bone shattered with a wooden bat, and was punched, kicked and cut with a Stanley knife. (irishtimes.com)
- whatDNA matching Darren Redmond was found on a bar behind the front seats of the van. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe prosecution did not allege Lunney was in the van but that someone in contact with him transferred his blood to it. (irishtimes.com)
- whatKevin Lunney was abducted by a group of men and assaulted while being falsely imprisoned. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatAlan Harte is serving a 30-year sentence for the kidnap and torture of Kevin Lunney (irishtimes.com)
- whatHarte was convicted of falsely imprisoning and causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney (irishtimes.com)
- whatLunney was abducted by a group of men and assaulted while being falsely imprisoned (irishtimes.com)
- whatHarte inflicted most of the serious injuries including knife wounds to Lunney's face and torso (irishtimes.com)
- whatLunney was abducted near his home, taken to a container, stripped, doused in bleach, beaten and cut. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThree men were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm to Kevin Lunney. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatKevin Lunney was a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMr Lunney was stripped to his boxer shorts, doused in bleach, beaten, cut, and had the words QIH carved into his chest with a Stanley knife. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe was threatened and told to resign as a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHis attackers broke his leg with two blows of a wooden bat. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe was bundled into the boot of an Audi near his home. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe kidnapping took place at a yard in Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe false imprisonment and harm occurred at a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan. (irishtimes.com)
- whereKevin Lunney was abducted from his home in Co Fermanagh. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe offences took place at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan. (longfordleader.ie)
- whereThe crime took place at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe crime occurred at a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe offence took place at a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe crime took place at a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereHe was left on a country road at Drumcoghill in Co. Cavan where he was discovered by a man driving a tractor. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offences against Kevin Lunney were committed in 2019. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offences took place on 17 September 2019. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe crime occurred on 17 September 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe kidnap and torture took place on 17 September 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offence took place on 17 September 2019. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe kidnapping occurred on 17 September 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
- weaponHarte held a Stanley knife to Lunney's face. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponHarte inflicted most of the serious injuries, including knife wounds to the face and torso. (longfordleader.ie)
- weaponThe words QIH were carved into Lunney's chest with a Stanley knife. (thejournal.ie)
- weaponA Stanley knife was used to carve letters into his chest. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDNA matching Darren Redmond was found on a bar behind the front seats of the Kangoo van. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe Kangoo van was destroyed by fire while in garda custody. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHarte challenges the constitutionality of Section 40 of the 1939 Offences Against the State Act. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- chargeThe three men were convicted of false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm to Kevin Lunney. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHarte was charged in November 2019. (longfordleader.ie, irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court reserved its decision in Alan Harte's challenge to set aside his conviction and 30-year sentence. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtThe action is against the Special Criminal Court, the DPP, Ireland and the Attorney General. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtThe respondents oppose the application and argue the legislation is constitutional. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtThe action opened before Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger on Thursday. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtThe judge reserved her decision and said she would deliver her judgement at a later date. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtHarte is represented by Michael O Higgins SC, with Michael Hourigan Bl, instructed by solicitor John Quinn. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtHarte seeks a declaration that his trial before the SCC was unfair, not in accordance with the law, and in breach of his constitutional rights. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtCounsel said the issues raised are novel with no case law on the specific points. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtCounsel argued that a majority decision of a three-judge SCC should not have the same weight as a majority decision of a jury of 10-2 or 11-1. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtRemy Farrell SC for the respondents said the section is constitutional and the challenge should be dismissed. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- courtHarte was tried and sentenced at the Special Criminal Court in December 2021. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHarte challenged the constitutionality of a section of the Offences Against the State Act that permits a two-thirds majority verdict at the non-jury court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHarte had a ringleader role in the kidnapping of Lunney. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHarte was tried alongside three other accused persons at the Special Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Justice Bolger ruled that a person tried in the Special Criminal Court has no right to a mirror image of a jury trial. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Justice Bolger dismissed Harte's judicial review challenge. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial took place at the Special Criminal Court in December 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- courtDefence counsel argued the State failed to preserve the van properly, citing no secure storage, no CCTV, and no access log. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe appeal was set to continue before the court on Wednesday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe cases of the three convicted men were adjourned for three months at the Court of Appeal. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe men argued the Special Criminal Court judges erred in refusing to adjourn the trial to clarify the law on admissibility of phone records. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- courtThe appellants argued gardaí acquired CCTV footage used in the trial knowing the evidence was obtained in breach of the law. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe appellants said witnesses who gave evidence in a voir dire hearing should have been recalled to give testimony in the trial and take a fresh oath. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMr Justice Patrick McCarthy, on behalf of the three-judge court, remarked the case would not finish as scheduled. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHarte was tried before the Special Criminal Court. (longfordleader.ie, irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court refused Harte's application for an extension of time to bring his judicial review. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtHarte's appeal was judged to be moot, and the court did not depart from the rule against hearing moot cases. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtCosts in the action were awarded against Harte at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, February 4. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtHarte's counsel acknowledged that he would have lost his case had he not been subject to a time restriction. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtCosts were awarded against Harte at the Court of Appeal (irishtimes.com)
- courtMs Justice Isobel Kennedy made the costs order (irishtimes.com)
- courtDavid Fennelly SC represented the DPP in seeking the costs order (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe DPP determined that the ordinary courts were inadequate to secure the effective administration of justice (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court held Harte brought his case outside the three-month time limit (irishtimes.com)
- courtA Supreme Court ruling found no duty attaches to Dáil Éireann to continuously review the necessity of the Special Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial was held at the Special Criminal Court in December 2022 (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe appeal hearing began in December 2024 and was adjourned until Tuesday when the panel reserved its decision (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe Court of Appeal rejected all grounds raised by the three men and dismissed their appeals against conviction. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe three men were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm to Lunney. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe appeal court found the Special Criminal Court had not erred in admitting the DNA evidence. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal against conviction. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe three men plan to appeal against their respective sentences, with the matter listed for 13 February 2026. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceIn 2021 Harte, aged 42, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the SCC. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- sentenceCo-accused Alan O'Brien and Darren Redmond were jailed for 25 and 18 years respectively. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceAlan Harte was sentenced to 30 years in prison. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceDarren Redmond was sentenced to 18 years with the final three suspended. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceHarte is serving a 30-year sentence for the kidnap and torture of Kevin Lunney. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceHarte must pay the State's costs in his failed appeal. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceHarte was sentenced to 30 years in prison, O'Brien to 25 years, and Redmond to 18 years with the final three suspended. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceAlan O'Brien received a 25-year sentence. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherDue to Section 40, Harte claims he does not know if all three judges found him guilty or if he was convicted on a majority decision. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- otherSince 1984, at least ten jurors must decide if an accused is guilty in a jury trial. (leitrimobserver.ie)
- otherThe van used as a team bus by the offenders was destroyed by fire while in garda custody. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherKevin Lunney is a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherLunney was threatened and told to resign as a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings. (thejournal.ie)
- otherHarte inflicted most of Lunney's serious injuries. (thejournal.ie)
- otherAll three men plan to appeal their sentences. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe matter was put back to be listed before the Court of Appeal on 13 February. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 13 Jan2026Three men jailed over kidnap of Kevin Lunney learn fate amid bid for freedom
Court of Appeal (Mr Justice McCarthy, Ms Justice Kennedy, Ms Justice Burns) dismissed all grounds of appeal against conviction, including challenges to DNA evidence from a Kangoo van, phone records, and CCTV footage. The three men confirmed they will proceed with appeals against sentence, listed for 13 February 2026.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 44, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harteconvicted, Alan O'Brien, 44, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan O'Brienconvicted, Darren Redmond, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Redmond - 1 Jan2026Three men jailed over kidnap and torture of QIH director Kevin Lunney lose appeal
Reports that the Court of Appeal on 13 January 2026 rejected all grounds and dismissed the convictions appeals of Alan Harte, Alan O'Brien and Darren Redmond. It gives their sentences and states that they will appeal the sentences, with the matter listed for 13 February.
victim, Kevin Lunney, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 44, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harteconvicted, Alan O'Brien, 44, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan O'Brienconvicted, Darren Redmond, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Redmond - 11 Mar2025Court of appeal urged to uphold convictions of three jailed over Kevin Lunney’s kidnap and torture
Court of Appeal hearing where the DPP's counsel urged the court to uphold the convictions; the three-judge panel (Mr Justice McCarthy, Ms Justice Burns, Ms Justice Kennedy) reserved its decision. Defence argued DNA evidence from a van destroyed by fire in Garda custody should not have been admissible and that the trial court erred in refusing to adjourn over phone records.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harteconvicted, 43, male, irish (judged from name)convicted, Darren Redmond, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Redmond - 4 Feb2025Criminal jailed for kidnap and torture of Kevin Lunney ordered to pay State’s costs in failed appeal
Court of Appeal ordered Harte to pay the State's costs after his appeal against the DPP's decision to try him in the Special Criminal Court was found to be moot; the three-judge panel found no reason to depart from the normal costs procedure.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harte - 4 Feb2025Man convicted of falsely imprisoning Kevin Lunney ordered to pay State’s costs in his failed appeal
Reports the Court of Appeal costs order against Harte on 4 February 2025 after his appeal failed. Adds that the legal issues were held to be moot and that the High Court had refused an extension of time for his judicial review.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harte - 18 Dec2024Appeal of three men convicted of kidnap and torture of Kevin Lunney adjourned
Reports that the Court of Appeal adjourned the three-day appeal for three months after barristers raised issues over admissibility of DNA evidence from a van destroyed in garda custody, phone records, and CCTV footage obtained in breach of the law.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harteconvicted, 43, male, irish (judged from name)convicted, Darren Redmond, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Redmond - 17 Dec2024Three jailed for kidnapping of Quinn director Kevin Lunney contest DNA evidence used at trial
Details the second day of the appeal hearing, including defence arguments that the Renault Kangoo van was not properly preserved in Garda custody (no secure storage, no CCTV, no access log, tracking device removed by a surveillance team) and the DPP's response that the DNA evidence remains admissible.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 43, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harteconvicted, 43, male, irish (judged from name)convicted, Darren Redmond, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Redmond - 2 Oct2023Alan Harte loses bid to quash conviction and sentence for role in Kevin Lunney attack
Reports the High Court ruling dismissing Harte's judicial review of his Special Criminal Court conviction and sentence. Gives the sentences of two co-accused and the details of the 2019 attack.
victim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunneyconvicted, Alan Harte, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Harteconvicted, Alan O'Brien, named, irish (judged from name)Alan O'Brienconvicted, Darren Redmond, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Redmond - 16 Mar2023Judgement reserved in Alan Harte's bid to set aside 30 year prison sentence imposed over attack on Kevin Lunney
The High Court reserved its decision on Harte's constitutional challenge arguing that Section 40 of the 1939 Act, which prevents an accused from knowing whether an SCC conviction was by majority or unanimous decision, breaches the Irish Constitution.
convicted, Alan Harte, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Alan Hartevictim, Kevin Lunney, male, irish (judged from name)Kevin Lunney