Man held over nine-hour hostage drama

GARDAÍ in Dungarvan were last night continuing to question a 22-year-old man in relation to an alleged hostage incident on Saturday night.

The man is alleged to have held a woman for nine hours before releasing her yesterday morning.

Gardaí in Dungarvan were alerted at about 11pm on Saturday that the woman was being held hostage at a house in the Cluanagreine area of the town. The scene was sealed off and Garda negotiators spoke with the man.

The man eventually gave himself up at about 8am yesterday.

Local sources yesterday said that the man is known to the woman and that she was very distressed following the incident.

The arrested man was taken to Dungarvan Garda Station where he was being held under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act.

It is expected gardaí will liaise with the Director of Public Prosecutions before deciding if any charges should be brought against him. However, the act under which he was arrested allows gardaí to hold him for questioning for up to 24 hours.