DNA matching that of Kevin Lunney and one accused found in van, court told

• Author: Eoin Reynolds
• Published date: 23 July 2021
• Publication title: Irish Times: Web Edition Articles (Dublin, Ireland)

Dr Edward Connolly of Forensic Science Ireland told Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, that on October 31st, 2019 he attended the examination of a Renault Kangoo van that the prosecution alleges three of the accused used to travel to and from Cavan on the day of the abduction.

Dr Connolly switched off all lights so that the inside of the van was completely dark and sprayed a chemical known as luminol on the surfaces. Luminol emits a blue light when it comes into contact with blood, he said.

He noted areas of blue light on the interior of the van's sliding door. Using a torch he could see areas of staining and later told Detective Garda Ursula Cummins to swab the area for further testing.

DNA profile matched

A black metal pole behind the driver's section also emitted blue light and was swabbed. At the laboratory, Dr Connolly found that the swabs from the sliding door of the Kangoo generated a DNA profile that matched a reference sample taken from Kevin Lunney.

From the swabs taken from the bars behind the driver's seat, he was able to generate a profile that matched that of the accused man, Darren Redmond.

In his opening speech Mr Guerin said that the prosecution is not alleging that Mr Lunney was ever in the Kangoo but that someone who had been in contact with Mr Lunney transferred Mr Lunney's blood to the van.

A 40-year-old man referred to as YZ because he can't be identified for legal reasons, 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 Quinn Industrial Holdings.

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 in Co Cavan where he was discovered by a man driving a tractor.

Dr Connolly also examined swabs taken from areas of blood staining inside a horse trailer at a yard in Drumbrade, Co Cavan. The yard...