Gardai in Cork are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions following the arrest and questioning of a 31-year-old man in the city in connection with the rape of a nurse in October 1988.
It is understood that new forensic evidence has come to light in the case, which has remained open since the young nurse was raped.
A man from the south of the city was taken into Garda custody over the holiday weekend and questioned, but was later released without charge. Meanwhile, gardai in Fermoy, Co Cork, are investigating two sex attacks in the town last weekend.
A woman walking home in the Chapel Hill area at about 2 a.m. was set upon by a man who beat her and tore her clothes as he attempted to sexually assault her. The woman was badly shaken after the experience but managed to fend off her attacker and contacted gardai. In the second attack, which it is understood was unrelated, a woman fought off two men who attempted to sexually assault her at Elbow Lane.
This attack occurred at 4.45 a.m. yesterday and is being treated by gardai as an attempted rape.
The two women gave gardai descriptions of the attackers and made full statements.