A 22-year-old man was last night being detained for questioning in Co Waterford after an incident in which a woman was held in a house under duress for nine hours before being released yesterday morning.
Gardaí in Dungarvan were alerted at about 11pm on Saturday that a 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 during the hours which followed.
The man, who is known to gardaí, gave himself up at about 8am yesterday. Local sources said that the man was also known to the woman and that she was distressed following the incident.
The man was taken to Dungarvan Garda station, where he was being held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. Gardaí could not say last night if charges would be brought. The man can be held for up to 24 hours.