Drew Harris: More charges to be brought in relation to Kevin Lunney kidnapping

'A number of individuals' will be reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the coming weeks in relation to the case, Commissioner Drew Harris said

Garda Comissioner Drew Harris at the AGSI conference in the Great Southern. Hotel, Killarney on Tuesday. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Gardaí are to ask the Director of Public Prosecutions to bring charges against further suspects in their investigation into the abduction of Kevin Lunney.

Speaking in Killarney during the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), Garda Commissioner Drew Harris welcomed the conviction of three men on Monday in relation to the investigation.

Alan O’Brien, 40, of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3; Darren Redmond, 27, from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3; and the man known as YZ were found guilty on Monday at the Special Criminal Court of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to 52-year-old Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019.

They are due to be sentenced on November 22.

A fourth man, Luke O'Reilly, of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan, was found not guilty of the same charges.

Commissioner Harris described the three convictions as a “good start”.

But he said: “Right from the commencement of this investigation, we have sought to uncover what the wider conspiracy may be in terms of these offences and that’s involved the evidence that we have uncovered throughout this investigation, other lines of enquiry in terms of financial investigation, and that is all ongoing at this moment in time.” 

He continued: “The rule of law and order will prevail. The investigation in effect carries on. We have had multiple lines of inquiry ongoing throughout this. 

There’s a number of individuals who are going to be reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions over the next number of weeks as well so there are more files to be submitted and further investigation carries on. 

"But we have a large-scale investigation and we are very determined in terms of getting to the bottom of this and we have appointed the necessary and appropriate specialist resources to this as well.” 

He said there had been a “long campaign of intimidation and damage to property, culminating in this awful attack on Mr Lunny”.

He added: “We have a lot yet to investigate and get to the bottom of.” 

Protests outside the homes of politicians

Meanwhile, Commissioner Harris said the recent trend of protests outside the homes of politicians and other well-known people causes difficulties for policing such gatherings.

He said: “We live in an open democracy. Protest is part of being in a democracy but at the same time the right to protest is also tempered by the behaviours at a protest etc, and so while it might be entirely justifiable and correct to protest outside a Government department, it is a different matter then to go to somebody’s home.” 

Separately, he said he had recently been in Washington to meet with law enforcement agencies there, as international cooperation on tackling transnational organised crime groups, including the Kinahan cartel, and international fraud gangs is stepped up.

He said: “We are a significant player when it comes to organised crime and we want to play our full part not just here in Ireland but internationally in bringing those organised crime groups down.” 

He also said he received an update last week on the investigation into the alleged leaking by the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar of a document in April 2019 related to negotiations for a new GP contract.

He said: “We intend to finish our investigation and then report the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions.”