‘Cat and mouse games’
Ian Bailey attended the court in Dublin yesterday to fight attempts by the French authorities to extradite him to appear before what his lawyers termed “a talking shop in Paris”.
Lawyers for the former journalist accused the French authorities, who have never formally contacted their client, of engaging in “cat and mouse games” and oppression.
The request for his extradition represented an insult not just to Mr Bailey, but the Irish legal system, said barrister Martin Giblin.
Mr Bailey, of The Pararie, Toormore, Schull, Co Cork, who has always pleaded his innocence, was accompanied by his “life partner” Jules Thomas.
The 53-year-old Englishman, who recently graduated with a law degree from UCC, listened intently to the proceedings which involved complex legal argument over the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003.
In an affidavit, Mr Bailey described how being implicated in Ms Toscan du Plantier’s murder had been “greatly distressful and traumatic”.
He outlined how it was a “great source of personal distress” to have been placed at Cealfada Bridge near Ms Toscan du Plantier’s home by a local woman, Marie Farrell, who later retracted such evidence amid claims that she was pressured to place Bailey near the scene of the crime by gardaí.
The court heard that Mr Bailey no longer feels freely able to travel outside Ireland since his extradition was sought, resulting in his inability to visit his elderly mother who lives in Essex, England.
The High Court was told the French authorities had no new evidence to use against Mr Bailey.
No representatives of the Toscan du Plantier family, including the victim’s elderly parents who are currently in West Cork to mark their daughter’s anniversary, attended yesterday’s hearing.
The case is due to conclude today, although Mr Justice Michael Peart is expected to reserve judgment until a later date.
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