A phone number allegedly linked to one of the men accused of kidnapping Kevin Lunney was previously used to book a Las Vegas vacation, apply for a passport and order pizza for delivery, the special criminal court heard .
Rosecutors have claimed the phone number linked Darren Redmond to the kidnapping and evidence of its previous use in transactions including a U.S. travel booking on his behalf was heard today.
Mr Redmond is one of four men tried in a court with no jury and three judges for the kidnapping and torture of Mr Lunney in 2019.
The director of Quinn Industrial Holdings, 52, was crammed into a car outside his Co Fermanagh home and taken to a container where his kidnappers broke his leg with a wooden mallet, slit his face with a Stanley knife, and bleached his wounds doused while ordering him to leave the company.
They cut “QIH” into his chest with the knife and told him he would “remember” it before he dumped him on a roadside in Drumcoghill, Co. Cavan, like the court, stripped to his boxers heard.
Mr. Redmond, 27, from Caledon Road, Alan O’Brien, 40, from Shelmalier Road, both in East Wall, Dublin, and a man “YZ” (40), who cannot be legally identified, are all supposed to contact directly involved in the attack.
Luke O’Reilly, 67, of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co. Cavan is charged with “material assistance in planning and conducting the crime” and owned the land on which Mr. Lunney was allegedly held.
They are all charged with the same charges of wrongful imprisonment and grievous harm of Mr. Lunney in Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan on September 17, 2019, which they deny.
The evidence was resumed this morning after days of legal battles over the admissibility of evidence in cell phone data.
The court has postponed a decision on this evidence until next week and the trial is pending
Colleen Hattie of Cassidy Travel said today that records showed a booking on August 20, 2019 by a Darren Redmond for an American Airline flight from Dublin to Dallas, Texas on September 6, 2019, returning September 12 was the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada September 6-11.
The address and date of birth were the same as Darren Redmond’s, and the number was the same as Prosecutor Sean Guerin said was linked to Mr. Redmond.
When Michael Bowman SC cross-examined Mr. Redmond, Ms. Hattie confirmed that she had no recollection of the transaction.
Aiga Grison of Domino’s Pizza, Drumcondra, said there was a record of the phone number in question, which was used for two deliveries called “Darren” to the same address on Caledon Road on September 15 and 18, 2019.
Mr Bowman said the order made it clear that the food was not “for you”. A pizza delivery included three cans of Coke, three barbecue dips, servings of wedges, garlic bread, and cookies.
“It’s a lot for one person,” he said.
Mr Bowman said phone orders would display a number with details already recorded from another date. Ms. Graubünden said it was normal practice to confirm a caller’s phone number and name.
.Passport bureau clerk Linda Carroll has presented records showing a passport application in June 2015 on behalf of Darren Redmond with the same address and date of birth
Previously, evidence was heard of top-up vouchers being purchased at locations such as Supervalu, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan in September 2019.
Sinead Maguire, the shop manager, said on September 25, 2019 that gardai asked her for permission to download CCTV footage from her shop on September 8 of that year.
She was told it was required for official purposes and issued a receipt by number 4 at 8:20 p.m. for purchases totaling € 62.85.
This was for two € 20 cell phone vouchers and groceries. It was paid in cash and a Supervalu club card was used. The corresponding video clip that was played to the court showed a woman who, among other things, put bottles of wine into a bag.
The trial continues before Judge Tony Hunt, who presides and sits with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge David McHugh.
