A major garda investigation is underway after a caller to the Gerry Ryan radio show gave a lengthy interview in which he spoke about his growing urge to rape and murder women.

The Sunday Tribune understands the 45-year-old Dubliner gave details of breaking into at least two houses to attack women. On investigation this information turned out to be accurate.

The man called the 2FM programme last Wednesday and conducted an interview lasting over 20 minutes.

He did not give his name and spoke in disturbing detail about following women to their homes from Dublin city centre and also stalking air hostesses as they left Dublin Airport.

He said that he was having deep urges to rape women and then murder them and that the feelings were becoming stronger.

The interview was due to air last Thursday but senior staff on the show agreed that the information volunteered by the man was so shocking that gardaí would have to be called.

Officers from Donnybrook went to the RTÉ campus, listened to the tape and immediately began a priority investigation.

They managed to link the phone call to a 45- year-old who is originally from Cabra and now lives in the north-inner city.

He was detained on Wednesday evening at his home for making threats to kill and was taken to Donnybrook garda station.

Gardaí have linked him to at least two incidents when houses around the Phibsborough and Bridewell areas were broken into but the burglar was disturbed when men who lived at the houses returned.

Sources believe that if a women had returned to either property then there is a good chance they could have been attacked and killed.

Gardaí say the man is very disturbed and they will be checking hundreds of incidents where females were attacked to see if there are any links to him.

The man does not have any criminal convictions, but has served a spell in a psychiatric hospital. He was previously employed in a Dublin hospital, but was dismissed for theft.

Although he does have a history of mental illness, senior gardaí believe that the detail the man gave to Ryan is credible and admit that he is a threat to women.

It is likely that a file will be sent to the DPP to decide if charges should be filed but gardaí will continue to monitor the man in the meantime.

It is understood that gardaí have told RTE they do not want the interview to be aired while the investigation, which will take some months, is ongoing.

A spokeswoman for RTE said the station had no comment to make.