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This is the moment when a top boxer launches a brutal attack on Quinn Industrial Holdings boss Kevin Lunney.
CCTV footage obtained by the Irish Mirror shows medal-winning Fermanagh boxer James Bernard McGovern, 24, launching the savage attack on Lunney and his QIH colleague Dara O’Reilly at a Co Cavan cafe just over two years.
McGovern, residing at Springtown Road, Kinawley, Co Fermanagh, pleaded guilty to assaulting the men when he appeared before Judge John Aylmer in Cavan Circuit Criminal Court today.
He faces up to five years in prison for the attack and will know his fate when he is sentenced by the same judge on March 19.
Mr. Lunney is the Chief Operating Officer of Mannok, formerly known as Quinn Industrial Holdings, and Mr. O’Reilly is the Chief Financial Officer of the company.
McGovern told Judge Aylmer that “I am guilty” when asked to plead guilty to assaulting Lunney and damaging her at the Apple Green gas station cafe near Ballyconnell in Cavan on February 1, 2019.
He pleaded not guilty to the same charge in relation to O’Reilly, but said he was guilty of the lesser charge of simple battery against him.
In the video that was played in court, McGovern first approaches the two men while they are sitting at a table eating breakfast.
McGovern then engages in conversation with them for several seconds, before unleashing his brutal attack.
He tosses the contents of a cup of tea straight into Mr. O’Reilly’s face and then turns to Mr. Lunney.
He throws a right hook that lands on Mr. Lunney’s nose. Mr. Lunney recoils from the blow and moves to his left to try to get away from McGovern.
But the boxer continues his onslaught and lands several more punches to Lunney’s head and face.
The businessman falls to the ground and McGovern continues with his barrage of punches and even kicks him when Mr. Lunney is helpless on the ground.
The eight-second attack only comes to an end when bettors in the cafe step in and take McGovern away, with him trying to land more punches the entire time.
McGovern continues to fight two men who push him away from the scene and away from the camera.
Mr. O’Reilly then helps a clearly shaken Mr. Lunney to his feet, and blood can be seen dripping from his nose to the floor.
Other people also come to his aid and he handed him a roll of tissues to try to stop the blood from his nose, while Mr. O’Reilly makes a frantic phone call for help.
Neither Mr. Lunney nor Mr. O’Reilly were in court for this morning’s hearing.
But Lunney said in a statement that he suffered a broken nose in the attack and the aftermath left his wife and family very upset.
But he also said in his statement that he wanted to move on and did not hold a grudge against McGovern.
The court also heard that the attack took place a few days after O’Reilly handed McGovern’s father Sean a termination letter from his job as a truck driver to the then QIH.
McGovern’s attorney, Karl Monaghan BL, told the court that his client was repentant and suffering from depression at the time of the attack.
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