Bailey still believes in 'French connection' to murder

Ian Bailey has told the High Court he finds it "shocking", "strange" and "bizarre" that the husband of Sophie Toscan du Plantier was "too busy" after her murder to come to Ireland and assist gardaí.

He is suing the state over claims gardaí concocted evidence and wrongfully arrested him on suspicion of killing the French film producer in December 1996. It is his fifth day of evidence.

Ian Bailey told the jury he believes to this day that there is a French connection to the murder of du Plantier, the 39-year-old film producer who was found beaten to death at her West Cork holiday home.

Under cross examination about an article he co-wrote for the Sunday Tribune about the killing, he said he found it shocking, strange, and bizarre that her husband, Daniel du Plantier, was too busy to travel to Ireland to identify her body.

He said Sophie Toscan du Plantier had told people in West Cork she was leaving her husband.

The jury heard at the time of the article's publication in January 1997, Ian Bailey had not informed The Sunday Tribune of his "growing apprehension" that he was considered a suspect in her murder.

He agreed that three weeks after her death, he invited two gardaí to his home in Schull to express his concern that they were not pursuing any lines of inquiry to France.