Timeline of Ian Bailey's 'David v Goliath battle'
The life of Ian Bailey has had many twists and turns since 1996. Picture: Dan Linehan
The death of Ian Bailey in Bantry brought an end to what he described as a “David v Goliath battle” to clear his name.
The English-born journalist and poet was due to turn 67 years old next Saturday, having protested his innocence in the murder of Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier in Toormore, near Schull, in December 1996.
In wishing his Facebook followers a happy Christmas on December 21, he wrote: “It is 27 years since a terrible crime which I was falsely accused of… 27 years on I continue the David v Goliath battle."
As a result of the murder, the life of Ian Bailey has intrigued the public and has had many twists and turns since December 1996.
One of the most important developments in the early days of the case was when shopkeeper Marie Farrell contacted gardaà to say she had seen a man acting suspiciously at Kealfadda Bridge, near Sophie’s home, in the early hours of December 23. She identified the man as Ian Bailey, who had been writing about the case in his capacity as a freelance reporter.
Ian Bailey was arrested and questioned but released without charge.
Ian Bailey was re-arrested and again released without charge.
Ian Bailey took a civil case against seven newspapers for coverage of the murder investigation which linked him to the killing. He lost five of the actions. However, he won €4,000 each from the and the , who had claimed he had assaulted his former partner.
The woman once considered the key witness, Marie Farrell, withdrew her statements that she had seen Ian Bailey at Kealfadda Bridge. In doing so, she claimed she was pressurised into making them by gardaĂ investigating the high-profile murder. The then garda commissioner Noel Conroy appointed a team to examine the circumstances of her decision.
After a new investigation was set up in France, Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s body was exhumed for a fresh autopsy. The investigation was headed up by Judge Patrick Gachon. Back in Ireland, the DPP recommended that no prosecution follow from the Garda probe into the withdrawal of Marie Farrell’s statements.
As the French investigation continued, a High Court ruling in Ireland cleared the way for Ian Bailey’s extradition to France. However, Mr Bailey’s legal team sought leave to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
French investigators arrived in Cork to interview up to 30 people as part of their fresh probe.
The Supreme Court heard an application by Ian Bailey for a fresh High Court hearing of his bid to prevent his extradition. The basis for the application was information provided to his lawyers by the State that the DPP review of 2001 had not been sent to his solicitors.
The Supreme Court unanimously granted his appeal, on the ground that the French authorities were not planning at that stage to send him for trial in relation to the murder.
After a successful civil case was brought in France by Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s family, they were awarded damages of €150,000. Under French law, victims of crime can sue the state for damages.
Ian Bailey was unsuccessful when he took a civil action against the State and gardaĂ.
A new judge, Nathalie Turquey, was appointed to oversee the French investigation, after the promotion of Judge Gachon.
A fresh arrest warrant was issued for Ian Bailey as part of the French probe.
An unsuccessful challenge was made by Ian Bailey’s legal team in the French Supreme Court against French efforts to put him on trial for the murder.
The Garda SĂochána Ombudsman Commission found that there was no clear evidence of high-level corruption by gardaĂ investigating the murder. However, Gsoc’s report on the matter said that there “was evidence of a lack of administration and management of aspects of the investigation”.
A French trial in the absence of Ian Bailey got underway in Paris’s Cour d’Assizes, presided over by Judge Frederique Aline. It found Mr Bailey guilty in his absence and imposed a 25-year sentence.
The High Court ruled that Mr Bailey would not be surrendered to France following the issuing of a European Arrest Warrant for him.
Mr Bailey and his long-term partner, Jules Thomas, split up after almost three decades together.
GardaĂ announced a cold case review into the murder in Ireland.
GardaĂ held a press conference in Schull where they called for further witnesses to come forward to help their investigation. Officers said they wished to speak to any person who met, spoke with, or had any interaction with Ms du Plantier from when she arrived in Ireland on December 20, 1996, to when her body was discovered on the morning of December 23.
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