Ian Bailey died with little or no money and had not made a will

Bailey also complained publicly in the months before he died that many people profited from Sophie Toscan du Plantier's murder except him

Ian Bailey survived on a weekly social welfare payment and then the State pension and cash income from the sale of his poetry books that he sold around the farmers' markets in Skibbereen, Schull and Bantry.

Ian Bailey died with little or no money and had not made a will, having complained publicly in the months before he died that many people profited from Sophie Toscan du Plantier's murder except him.

The main suspect in the case, who was convicted in absentia in a French court of the murder in 2019, lived in a tiny rented flat paid for by the State and was due to be evicted within weeks as his landlord was selling the building.

He survived on a weekly social welfare payment and then the State pension and cash income from the sale of his poetry books that he sold around the farmers' markets in Skibbereen, Schull and Bantry.

He also persuaded some people on TikTok to donate contributions to him for his social media videos.

The 66-year-old Englishman, who died suddenly last Sunday, regularly got annoyed at various people generating large amounts of money from the du Plantier case via books, podcasts and television.

During one of his public comments on the case in recent months, he said: "Everybody is making money out of Sophie's death except me. I am the guy in the firing line and taking all the heat and I look at all these people making a fortune out of it.

"It is infuriating because I have hardly any money and am living week to week just to survive."

Mr Bailey was not paid for the two Sky and Netflix documentaries on Ms du Plantier's death which were screened all over the world, even though he appeared in both.

Both networks refused to give him an appearance fee because he had been arrested twice and was a suspect in the case.

He was, however, given nominal expenses, which were believed to have been less than €1,000.

He said; "Everyone thought I was paid a fortune to participate in these programmes when the truth is I hardly received a penny.

It is difficult watching all these people profiting from her death when you are living on the breadline.

It is understood Mr Bailey had not made a will. He had talked about it but never got round to actually making one, it is believed.

It has emerged Ian Bailey's sister, and next of kin, is to take charge of his funeral arrangements and he will be laid to rest in Ireland.

His solicitor, Frank Buttimer, made contact with Kay Reynolds who lives in England and she is flying over to say farewell to her controversial brother.

It is understood his body is ready to be released to her and a local undertaker will be appointed.

A service for the main suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder will be held in west Cork in the next few days in accordance with his final wishes.