Sister-in-law of late Cyril McGuinness makes court appeal for return of phones confiscated by gardai

She claims they were held by Garda detectives for two hours and two mobile phones seized.

Ms Sloan of The Green, Seatown Park, Swords, Co Dublin has now gone to court seeking the return of the two smartphones.

Cyril McGuinness, a convicted criminal was considered a key suspect in the kidnapping and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney. McGuinness died from a suspected “cardiac event” after being handcuffed during his arrest in Derbyshire in the UK last month.

The 54-year-old died almost three hours after his arrest.

The Derbyshire Police raid was part of a co-ordinated series of search operations, mainly focused on the Border area, linked to the brutal attack on Mr Lunney in September.

Mr Lunney (50) was abducted outside his home near Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, and taken to a horsebox across the Border, where he was savagely beaten.

In the High Court today, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was told Ms Sloan travels extensively and the phones contain business details.

Ms Sloan the court heard is seeking the immediate return of the phones taken by gardai.

Ms Justice Reynolds who noted the phones were taken in November said she will deal with the application on Thursday this week.

In an affidavit to the court Ms Sloan said Mrs McGuinness had asked her to accompany her to Buxton,Derbyshire to meet with the undertakers following the death of Cyril McGuinness . She said they had boarded a flight to Manchester when they were approached by detectives and taken off the flight. She said her luggage was also searched and the two women she said were later told the phones were being confiscated.

She said they had to purchase tickets for another flight later that evening and arrived in the UK when it was too late to attend the undertakers.

She said her phones contained private and business related matter and she had sought their return through a letter from her solicitors last week.

A UK inquest heard Cyril McGuinness, known as “Dublin Jimmy”, was seen to smoke three cigarettes and drink a cup of tea while sitting on a sofa following his arrest at around 7am in the Buxton area of Derbyshire on November 8 last.

Chesterfield Coroner’s Court was told McGuinness, who “already had a diseased heart” collapsed 60-90 minutes later after his arrest and was pronounced dead at around 10am.

Giving evidence at the inquest, Detective Sergeant Steve Simmons said the death was automatically referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Outlining the events leading up to McGuinness’s death, Mr Simmons said: “The circumstances are that Derbyshire Police attended an address in Buxton at the request of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

“Mr McGuinness was arrested at about 7am, was placed in handcuffs, and approximately an hour to an hour-and-a-half later, he collapsed.

The inquest was adjourned until the conclusion of the IOPC investigation.