Kevin Lunney trial judge 'longs for solution' from EU court over access to mobile phone data

Lawyers for the four accused men say that mass retention of mobile phone data is not allowed under EU law as it interferes with the privacy rights of citizens

The trial has been hearing six days of legal argument over the admissibility of mobile phone data evidence. File photo: Pexels

A judge presiding in the trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney has questioned why the Court of Justice of the European Union has not set out in simple terms how police forces can access mobile phone data.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said "it would be nice" if the court gave a structured indication, which could be as short as a single paragraph, detailing how phone data can be obtained for national security purposes and setting out how and when gardaí can look at data retained by phone companies.