GARDAÍ have doubled the size of the investigation team hunting a man who subjected a woman to a brutal sexual assault as she walked home from bingo.

JUST an hour after turning 36 years of age, a man died in a car crash early yesterday.

GARDAÍ are investigating what was described as an unusual crime wave in a sleepy north Cork village, which included the ransacking of dressing rooms and cars during a GAA training session and the theft of a large excavator worth up to €80,000.

GARDAÍ are searching for a jewel thief who would make the legendary Raffles proud, robbing a haul which is rumoured to be worth several hundred thousand euro.