Republican News · Thursday 10 October 2002

Fermanagh republican assaulted by RUC\PSNI

RUC/PSNI search squad brutally beat Fermanagh republican Kevin Lynch and his wife after they arrived at their home on Monday 7 October on the pretext of looking for an unpaid fine.

The RUC/PSNI forced their way into the Lynch house in Lisnaskea at around 6.20am and asked for Kevin.

Loretta Lynch told An Phoblacht that when she asked the RUC/PSNI for a warrant, she was told they were there to arrest her husband Kevin.

She aid when Kevin entered the dining room he was immediately attacked by six RUC/PSNI members, who forced him to the ground and began punching and striking him with batons.

"I had the money to pay the fine but the RUC/PSNI would not accept it as it was in Euros," said Loretta. "I was grabbed around my neck and forced against the wall; all the time Kevin was being severely beaten by the RUC. I was trying to video the attack but members of the RUC/PSNI were trying to take the camcorder off me."

She said her four children cowered in the bedroom terrified of what would happen next; "they were screaming and hiding under the bed covers."

Lynch was forcibly dragged out to a waiting RUC vehicle and thrown into the back, where members of the RUC/PSNI continued to attack him.

They said they were taking him to Lisnaskea RUC/PSNI barracks but instead took him to Dungannon barracks. However, at Dungannon the person on duty refused to allow the other RUC\PSNI to bring Lynch in because of his injuries and asked that Lynch be taken to hospital.

They refused to bring the injured man to hospital and he was eventually taken to Lisburn RUC/PSNI barracks, where he was charged with assaulting RUC officers.

"Kevin's eye was completely swollen and closed and his stomach, arms and legs were badly bruised," said Loretta Lynch. "They were after trouble since the moment they arrived, they didn't care about the fine they just wanted to assault Kevin."

Loretta Lynch has told An Phoblacht that their solicitor is now dealing with the case.