He has long been something of a celebrity in France but was recently suspected of an unprovoked attack in Ireland, and now he has been identified in Scotland for the first time.

Or in Scottish waters to be more precise.

According to researchers at Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, Clet the solitary dolphin appeared in the Sound of Mull this week.

The rare sighting of a lone bottlenose dolphin following a ferry between Oban and Mull on Tuesday triggered some rapid detective work at the conservation charity. Bottlenose dolphins are not unusual in the Hebrides, even during winter, but the normally social species usually occurs in small groups, with individuals rarely seen alone.

By using photo identification techniques and studying the dolphin??s distinctively scarred dorsal fin, the trust??s experts identified the animal as a fairly renowned individual.

He had made international headlines when last seen in September, off Galway Bay in Ireland, nearly 400 miles from the Sound of Mull.

He was widely thought to be responsible for an attack on five swimmers. Witnesses said the dolphin circled the swimmers then swam at them in an "intimidating way".

The swimmers were not seriously injured and were escorted to shore by the lifeboat, but were frightened by the encounter.

??To our knowledge, this is the first time that Clet has been recorded in Scotland, and in fact this is the furthest north he has been recorded to date,?? said Dr Conor Ryan, the trust??s Sightings Officer.

??Bottlenose dolphins are usually considered to be resident to certain areas, so long-distance international movements such as this challenge our understanding of this species, and also challenge our ability to protect them using Marine Protected Areas alone.??

He said the male dolphin had been named in France by locals from Cap Sizun in Brittany, where he used to follow fishing boats between 2008 and 2010. He then travelled to Cornwall, Devon and Wales before appearing in West Cork in Ireland, where he spent several weeks interacting with boats. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group recorded his movements along Ireland??s west coast to Valentia, County Kerry.

Pádraig Whooley, Sightings Officer for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, said solitary dolphins such as Clet did not pose a threat to people in boats, but could be aggressive towards swimmers. The biggest danger to solitary dolphins was injury from boats, as the animals appear to seek out vessels to interact with them.

The deep gash on Clet??s dorsal fin may have been from coming too close to boat propellers, he said.