The chief operating officer of Quinn Industrial Holdings has been hospitalised after he was abducted and viciously assaulted as he left work in Derrylin and was returning home to Kinawely last night.
The incident marks an escalation in the campaign of intimidation and threats against directors of the company. Prior intimidation includes physical assaults and arson attacks at or near the homes or businesses of senior QIH staff. There are now calls for urgent action to be taken before someone loses their life.
The PSNI are investigating the incident which occurred as Mr Lunney was returning to his family home in Kinawley from his workplace in nearby Derrylin.
Mr Lunney’s and an unknown car were found ablaze in a road near his family home shortly before 7.00pm last night (Tuesday). Some hours later Mr Lunney was found badly beaten across the border in Cornafean, Co Cavan after he was dumped at the side of a road by his attackers. Mr Lunney sustained a broken leg and range of other very severe, but non life threatening injuries for which he is being treated in a nearby hospital.
Commenting, Mr Adrian Barden, Chairman, QIH said: “Kevin Lunney’s abduction and assault is an outrageous attack on a hard working father of six children but also on his 830 colleagues at QIH and the wider community in the Cavan-Fermanagh region. For several hours last evening Kevin’s wife, family and very many friends were left to contemplate the worst. Like many of his colleagues I am frustrated and angry that more has not been done to protect Kevin who will require some considerable time to recover from the very severe injuries sustained in this brutal attack
“We have previously warned of the inevitability of serious injury and loss of life arising from these sustained and increasingly serious criminal attacks. We find it inexplicable that not a single arrest has been made north or south despite dozens of incidents. We are now calling for the police authorities north and south to act quickly and decisively to prevent an inevitable loss of life by bringing those responsible to justice.”
PSNI Detective Inspector Trevor Stevenson said police were working with the gardai to hunt those responsible.
“We understand that the man was abducted from his home in Derrylin at around 6.40pm yesterday evening (Tuesday 17 September), and was seriously assaulted before being left at the side of the road at Drumcoughill, Cornafean, County Cavan. He was discovered by local residents just before 9pm and was brought to hospital with serious injuries to his face and leg.
“This was a horrific attack and we are liaising with our colleagues at An Garda Síochána.
“Our inquiries are at a very early stage and at this time, I am appealing for anyone who may have witnessed a black saloon Audi being driven in the Derrylin, Fermanagh / Swanlinbar, Cavan areas to contact us or our Gardaí colleagues.”
Anyone with any information that may assist us with our inquiries should contact us on 101, quoting reference number 1748 of 17/09/19. Alternatively if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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