‘Blank’ statement accusation denied

A former detective garda yesterday denied he told Marie Farrell gardaí knew Ian Bailey had killed Sophie Toscan du Plantier and needed her to say Mr Bailey was the man she saw near Schull hours before the body was found.

Jim Fitzgerald also denied claims by Ms Farrell she was asked at Ballydehob Garda Station on February 14, 1997, to sign blank pages of a statement.

Ms Farrell, the witness said, had made a statement that evening in which she said she saw Mr Bailey on the night of December 22/23, 1996, and had signed that in the presence of gardaí.