Irish Examiner view: French attitude to our justice system out of order

Ian Bailey (right, with hat) was sentenced, after a trial he did not attend, to 25 years jail by a Paris court last year. His solicitor, Frank Buttimer (left) speaks to the media outside the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin yesterday. Pic: Collins Courts

The ruling by our High Court yesterday that Ian Bailey cannot be extradited to France in connection with the Schull murder, 24 years ago, of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier averts a very difficult possibility - or at least it does if yesterday's ruling is not challenged.

Bailey was sentenced, after a trial he did not attend, to 25 years jail by a Paris court last year. Irrespective of the details, irrespective of huge and justifiable concerns around the conduct of the investigation into that terrible murder, the French action cannot but be seen as a challenge to the integrity of our justice system.