Third man arrested over attempted robbery in Cork

Gardaí have arrested a third man in connection with a hostage-taking and attempted armed robbery in Cork city this morning.

Two men were arrested in the early hours of the morning at the scene of the incident in the Rochestown area of the city.

The third man was arrested near Dublin later in the morning.

All three are being questioned about an attempt to extort money from a local businessman, Gary O'Donovan, whose family owns a chain of off-licences in Cork.

An armed gang entered the O'Donovan home in Mount Oval Village last night, held the businessman's pregnant wife hostage and then beat Mr O'Donovan when he arrived home.

The gang apparently planned to take him a warehouse where they believed cash was being stored, but Mr O'Donovan managed to escape and raise the alarm.

The two men arrested early this morning were from Belfast and Dundalk and gardaí are investigating the possibility that subversives may have been involved.