The trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Mannok director Kevin Lunney begins this morning.
The case will be heard before the Special Criminal Court after a five month delay due to Covid.
The trial had been continually delayed at the three-judge court because of public health concerns caused by a combination of Covid-19 and the number of witnesses in the case.
Father of-six Kevin Lunney had his leg broken, was doused in bleach and had the letters 'QIH' carved into his chest before he was dumped on a roadside in Cornafean in Cavan.
Luke O'Reilly (67), from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan; Darren Redmond (26), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3; and Alan O'Brien (40) of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 1, are all charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to the 51 year old at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019.
Another man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also charged with the same offences at the same date and location.
The trial is expected to run for nine weeks to the end of July and resume in September after the Court vacation.
It had originally been scheduled to begin in January before being postponed to February 1st.
Concerns over Covid and the number of witnesses to be called saw it postponed again to early March, before finally being scheduled for today.]
