Family seek full scientific reconstruction
The French woman was murdered 16 years ago, just two days before Christmas, close to her holiday home in Schull, West Cork.
Detective Superintendent Christy Mangan, who heads the Garda Serious Crime Review Team met Sophie’s uncle, Jean Pierre Gazeau and the family’s lawyer, Alain Spilliaert, to discuss plans to review the case in Dublin yesterday.
Mr Gazeau believes the family are victims of major contradictions between gardaí and the DPP, who ruled there was not enough evidence to prosecute former chief suspect Ian Bailey. Mr Gazeau said the family wanted a complete scientific reconstruction of the case as there was a number of crucial points they were particularly concerned about.
The family are hoping that Mr Bailey will be tried in his absence in France next year for the murder, as a French investigation is almost complete.
“We want the truth; we want justice. It is not a question of time; we will fight to the end,” said Mr Gazeau.
He wants several pieces of evidence and witness statements to be forensically reviewed. He claims there were also contradictions by Mr Bailey that need to be examined.
The family’s lawyer, Alain Spilliaert, said he expected the French investigation to conclude in June 2013: “We are still very confident that justice will prevail. It is not only a fight for the family, which is very important — the parents are suffering for 16 years, but it is also a fight for the whole region of West Cork.”
Asked if an application for extradition would be made if someone was convicted in their absence in France, Mr Spilliaert said: “Absolutely.”
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