Hopes missing Ciara can be traced

There were mounting hopes yesterday of a breakthrough in the investigation into the disappearance of Dundalk, Co Louth, teenager Ciara Breen in February 1997 after gardaí arrested a prime suspect for a second time.

The man was originally arrested in September 1999 by local gardaí, assisted by officers from Operation Trace, the dedicated investigation into six missing women, but was released without charge.

Detectives from Dundalk Station re-arrested the man yesterday, aged in his 50s, after gathering fresh evidence, thought to be linked to a witness who wrote two anonymous letters to gardaí at the end of last year.