Ten people write to the State over Bailey case tapes

Ten people, including a retired detective garda, have written to the State concerning an application by Ian Bailey to inspect recordings of phone calls between various individuals, including journalists and gardaí, in Bandon Garda Station, the High Court has heard.

Mr Bailey wants to inspect the recordings and the transcripts of them as part of continuing preparations for his action for damages against the State arising from the conduct of the Garda investigation into the 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork.

Retired detective garda Jim Fitzgerald, of Bandon, was represented yesterday by a solicitor and counsel when Mr Bailey’s application was mentioned by his counsel, Martin Giblin, before Mr Justice John Hedigan.