Dominique Strauss-Kahn could be facing new rape charges even as a hotel chambermaid's case against him appears to be falling apart.

Mr Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, was freed from his bail conditions of house arrest on Friday. It also emerged that there were doubts over his accuser's testimony.

But shortly after he was arrested and alleged to have sexually assaulted a Manhattan hotel worker in May, a French writer stated publicly that in 2002 she had been forced to fend off advances from Mr Strauss-Kahn.

Tristane Banon said she had been convinced not to press charges at the time of the incident because Mr Strauss-Kahn was a family friend.

Lawyers for Ms Banon said today that they now intended to file a criminal complaint on her behalf accusing Mr Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape.

If the case goes ahead it will further derail Mr Strauss-Kahn's ambitions to take on President Nicholas Sarkozy as the Socialist party candidate at next year's elections.