Bailey hearing witness: Life ‘ruined’ after he was forced to flee country

A former British soldier yesterday denied a suggestion he was never threatened by gardaí with the “Provos” after he told a journalist that gardaí had provided him with quantities of cannabis to get close to Ian Bailey.

When Paul O’Higgins, for the State, put to Martin Graham in the High Court his claim of such a threat was “a fancy”, Mr Graham said: “You put yourself there, someone mentions Provos, you don’t bloody argue.”

Mr Graham was being cross-examined in the continuing civil action by Ian Bailey against the Garda Commissioner and State arising from the conduct of the investigation into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, whose body was found at Toormore, Schull, on December 23, 1996.