Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder kept Ian Bailey in headlines since 1990s
Ian Bailey denied any involvement in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Picture: Niall Carson/PA
The murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier made Ian Bailey a household name and for the subsequent almost three decades, he was rarely far from the headlines.
Throughout numerous legal processes both here and in France, he always denied having any involvement in the killing.
In 1990, Mr Bailey moved to Ireland from the UK for a different life after becoming “enchanted” by West Cork, where met his Welsh partner Jules Thomas while working as a fish farmer in 1991.
Throughout those early years, he also worked as a freelance journalist for local papers in West Cork.
The body of Ms Toscan du Plantier, a French filmmaker, was found near her holiday home in Goleen on the morning of December 23, 1996.
Mr Bailey had been living close to the holiday home with Ms Thomas since 1991.
Shortly after the shocking murder, a 14-year-old boy in Schull told gardaĂ that Mr Bailey had confessed to the murder while giving him a lift home.
Meanwhile, a woman told gardaĂ that she saw Mr Bailey near the scene, at Kealfadda Bridge, on the night of the murder.
The woman, Marie Farrell, later withdrew her statement, alleging that she was coerced into making it by gardaĂ, sparking a Garda review into the investigation.
The British former journalist and poet was arrested in February 1997 in connection with the murder. Ms Thomas was also arrested for questioning but both were later released without charge.
Mr Bailey was arrested once more in connection with the murder just under a year later but was once again released without charge.
Although files were sent to the DPP, no charges were brought against him and in 2003, he began a libel action against eight newspapers, losing six and winning two.
Mr Bailey who was born in Manchester was the only person arrested in connection with the murder of Ms Toscan du Plantier.
In later years, Mr Bailey described the impact of being connected with the murder as “awful” adding that he had always been “tortured” by it.
In a High Court action taken against the State in 2014, Ms Thomas described how Mr Bailey had been violent towards her in their relationship but that she believed he was innocent of Ms Toscan du Plantier's murder.
In 2019, Mr Bailey was convicted in absentia by a court in Paris of the murder.
He did not attend the French court and had no legal representation in the proceedings, which he described as a “farce”.
He was subsequently arrested at the Criminal Courts of Justice Building in December 2019, on foot of a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by French authorities.
However, several attempts to have him extradited failed after the High Court refused to order his surrender.
The story of the murder, along with Ian Bailey’s arrests in connection with it, have been the subject of multiple documentaries and podcasts while Mr Bailey himself built up a social media following in recent years.
In 2022, he was attacked and assaulted in Bantry by several young men, one of whom he said pretended to be one of his online fans.
More recently, Mr Bailey suffered issues with his health, notably having two heart attacks in the space of one week in September.
After recovering, he said it was the first time he had any issues with his heart, a fact he said was "quite amazing" given his "far from ordinary" life, adding: "I guess things are going to take their toll.”Â
Mr Bailey had described the murder and the subsequent aftermath and impacts as a “tragedy” after separating from his long-time partner Ms Thomas in 2021.
He said the focus on him as a suspect after the murder had cost him 25 years of his life.
"And the truth is that I had nothing to do with this terrible crime," he said.
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