Bailey: I was a suspect 'because I'm English'

Ian Bailey has told a court he was a suspect in the unsolved murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in Cork because he was English.

Mr Bailey, who is suing the Irish State for wrongful arrest in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier investigation, claimed he was victimised in custody.

The 57-year-old told the High Court in Dublin that he was given a black and tan shirt to wear.

“It was not a complaint so much as an observation on the colour,” he told the jury.

“It was a black and tan colouring and I just thought it was possibly a coded message ... because I’m English.”

Mme Toscan du Plantier, 39, was found beaten to death on a hillside outside her west Cork holiday home on the morning of Monday December 23, 1996 – two days before Christmas.

The former freelance reporter denies any involvement in the unsolved killing.

Giving evidence for a sixth day in his civil action against the State, Mr Bailey said he thought he was being victimised because he was English.

“It was made quite clear to me in the interrogation, if you think an Englishman is coming over here and is going to get away with this,” he said.

“It definitely was. There was very strong xenophobia.”

The hearing in front of a jury of eight men and four women is set to run for several more weeks.