Bailey is shunned in his locality, court hears

An Englishman who has been shunned in West Cork and referred to as “the murderer” has commenced a defamation action against seven different newspapers.

Ian Bailey claimed today that he never even met the deceased, Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

The plaintiff’s barrister, James Duggan, said, “I don't know whether Ian Bailey committed this murder or not," as he opened the case claiming that Mr Bailey had been defamed in coverage of the horrific bludgeoning of Miss du Plantier on a remote lane near her West Cork home in Christmas 1996.

"He says he did not and I accept it. But this is not enough for the Fourth Estate. They decided he was guilty and there has been trial by media, character assassination and demonisation," said Mr Duggan

"He remains persecuted and victimised. It is for him a living horror story. He has been DNAed, his hair, his blood and his clothes. Nothing. No charges have ever been brought. The Fourth Estate are still not satisfied," Mr Duggan BL said.

On December 23, 1996, the body of Frenchwoman, Sophie Toscan du Plantier was found on a remote laneway in Toormore, between Schull and Goleen in West Cork.

Later that same day, journalist Eddie Cassidy of the Irish Examiner contacted Ian Bailey to do some work on the story.

Mr Bailey who had done various jobs since his arrival in West Cork from England six years earlier,

including journalism, was one of the first journalists on the story.

Early in the morning of February 10, 1997, "three gardai arrived at his home and to his horror, arrested him for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier," said Mr Duggan.

"They asked him to accompany them to Bandon Garda Station. To his utter horror and amazement, 20 to 30 journalists were there to meet him. A picture of him leaving the garda station appeared in the Sun newspaper the next morning. From then on there was no anonymity for Ian Bailey."

Paul Gallagher senior counsel for the defendant newspapers said the defence would say that Mr Bailey was the main and only suspect for this murder when these articles were published.

He said the defence would claim Mr Bailey was and is a very violent man. And thirdly the defence would claim that Mr Bailey courted publicity concerning this murder.

In the witness box today for a brief period before the end of the first day of the case, Mr Bailey (aged 46) gave evidence in a well-spoken, assured and confident manner.

Apart from his background, one of the only issues he had time to address in evidence today was what he was doing the day before December 23, 1996.

“I killed three turkeys, to have them prepared for table. I sustained one small hair-line scratch, a scrape from a talon, I actually used a knife. Some people have different ways. It is not a job I enjoy. I never particularly enjoyed it. It was just a job that had to be done,” he said.

He also said he suffered some scratches cutting a Christmas tree.

“I never denied that, I never tried to keep it a secret.”

Judge Patrick J Moran earlier ruled against the application by the State and said he would hear the garda witnesses in the case, something that had concerned the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Duggan then opened the case and said that Mr Bailey, who did not even know the victim, had been subjected to trial by media.

He described hoards of media outside the plaintiff’s home on a 24-hour basis after his arrest

for questioning in February 1997.

He said the plaintiff and his partner, Jules Thomas, and her three daughters had been made prisoners in their own home, The Prairie, Schull, Co Cork.

Mr Bailey is suing the following newspapers: Independent Star Ltd, Irish Mirror Group Ltd, Independent Newspapers Ltd, Independent Newspapers UK Ltd, Times Newspapers Ltd, Newsgroup Newspapers Ltd and Telegraph Group Ltd.

In each action before Cork Circuit Court, €38,000 is claimed against the defendant company for damages.