Man (60) arrested over Kilkenny city-centre bomb scare released from custody

THE man arrested in connection with the bomb scare that shut down Kilkenny city-centre on Thursday has been released from custody, gardai confirmed last night.

No formal charges have been brought against the 60-year-old man, but a file on the matter is currently being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

A local Garda source earlier confirmed a full background medical check was being carried out on the man.

Kilkenny city-centre was brought to a standstill on Thursday morning after gardai were alerted to a suspicious package that was discovered shortly after 6am on the Butterslip.

It later emerged the man arrested in connection with the incident informed the gardai about the device.

The High Street and Kieran’s Street was closed off to traffic and pedestrians as a safety precaution before members of the Army Bomb Squad were called to the scene, where they later carried out a controlled explosion on the device. The streets were finally declared safe just before 11am.

PHOTO: Pat Moore