Cork imprisonment suspect released

Gardaí are to prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions after releasing without charge a 50-year-old Dundalk man arrested for questioning about the imprisonment of a family in Cork earlier this week.

The man had been arrested on Wicklow Street in Dublin at around 11am on Tuesday morning and taken to Mayfield Garda station in Cork for questioning about the imprisonment of the O'Donovan family at their home in Rochestown in Cork on Monday night.

The man - who was arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act - was held at Mayfield Garda Station for two days but was released at noon yesterday without charge and a file will now be prepared on the matter for the DPP.

Meanwhile, two men charged at a special sitting of Cork District Court on Wednesday night with offences arising out of the same incident with the O'Donovan family have been remanded in continuing custody after another court appearance yesterday.

Gerard Clarke (37) from St John's Terrace, Cork and Edward Gaffey (33) from Clountygora Court, Dundalk were each charged with four offences arising out of the incident at the O'Donovan home at Dewberry, Mount Oval Village, Rochestown, Cork.

Mr Clarke and Mr Gaffey were each charged with the false imprisonment of both Gary O'Donovan and his wife Katie at their home on May 2nd and 3rd, 2005, contrary to Section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The two men were also each charged with possession of six rounds of .45 calibre ammunition with intent to endanger life and with possessing a Colt 45 revolver with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Yesterday at Cork District Court, Inspector Con Cadogan applied to have both Mr Clarke and Mr Gaffey remanded in continuing custody for a week to allow gardaí take further instructions from the DPP.

Judge Uinsinn Mac Gruairc said Mr Clarke's solicitor, Catherine Kirwan, was free to apply for bail for her client at any time.

Judge Mac Gruairc remanded both Mr Clarke and Mr Gaffey in custody to appear again at Cork District Court on May 12th.