A retired garda chief superintendent yesterday told the High Court he asked the State Solicitor for West Cork in 1998 to raise the Garda case against Ian Bailey directly with the DPP, rather than any of his officials.

Gardaí did not eliminate Marie Farrell as an important witness in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation after establishing she had lied to them, an former senior garda told the High Court.

A former Director of Public Prosecutions has told the High Court he decided there was insufficient evidence to warrant a prosecution of Ian Bailey for the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

The State Solicitor for West Cork, Malachy Boohig, said he was asked to attend a meeting in Bandon Garda Station in March 1998 where it was made clear gardaí were unhappy the DPP had opted not to charge Ian Bailey over the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.