Ian Bailey

Gallery

Premium

‘There was no sat nav in 1996. How could you find this remote place and not be seen?’: Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s uncle on the many theories sent to the family

Her uncle, a physicist who has lectured all over the world, is at a loss to understand how the murder of his niece has never been solved.

---

Gallery

Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s son unable to attend memorial concert tonight as he is ‘re-traumatised’ by renewed focus on mother’s murder

The son of murder victim Sophie Toscan du Plantier cannot attend tonight's major concert in her memory because he has been re-traumatised by a surge of international interest in the case.

---

Ian Bailey will not attend special memorial concert for murder victim Sophie Toscan du Plantier in Cork

Ian Bailey will not attend a special memorial concert for murder victim Sophie Toscan du Plantier in west Cork.

---

Gallery

Sophie Toscan du Plantier witness claims Ian Bailey told her: ‘I was washing the blood off my clothes’

An elderly witness in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case — one of the last people to see the French woman alive — has told the Sunday Independent she stands by statements she made to gardaí over 25 years ago about Ian Bailey knowing the murder victim.

---

Gallery

Premium

exclusive Gardaí probe new claims that Ian Bailey had met Sophie Toscan du Plantier prior to her murder

Gardaí have new information purporting to show that self-admitted suspect Ian Bailey knew Sophie Toscan du Plantier before her murder – and allegedly may even have dined with her.

---

Gallery

Murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier holds ‘specific Irish fascination’, says French Ambassador

The French Ambassador to Ireland, Vincent Guérend, has spoken for the first time about the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

---

Ian Bailey claims ‘two fat ladies’ heckled him while he read poetry on stage at literary festival

Ian Bailey has claimed that that he was “heckled” by “two fat ladies” at a Cork literary festival over the weekend.

---

Ian Bailey: Gardaí have already asked me for new meeting in Sophie cold-case review

Gardaí want to speak with Ian Bailey as part of a new investigation into the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

---

Premium

Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder: French to offer gardaí access to probe file for cold-case review

French authorities are willing to offer gardaí full access to their eight-year probe into the murder of French film executive Sophie Toscan du Plantier to support the cold-case review launched by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

---

Premium

Gene Kerrigan Opinion Sophie Toscan du Plantier: A quarter century since her murder and we’re still fumbling around in the dark

Here we go again. Another twist in the du Plantier case. But let’s not rehash the awful murder; let’s go to the conflict at the heart of the case — between the Garda Síochána and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

---

Premium

Eilis O'Hanlon Opinion Murder mysteries don’t always end with a killer being unmasked

Since the night of December 23, 1996, when French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered in West Cork, more than 200 women have been violently killed in Ireland.

---

Gallery

Premium

Witness ‘saw Ian Bailey trying to clean bloodstained clothing’ a day after Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder

A witness who claims she saw Ian Bailey attempting to clean bloodstained clothing a day after the murder of Sophie T oscan du Plantier has given a fresh statement to the revived garda investigation.

---

Gallery

Premium

Will gardaí ever catch Sophie Toscan de Plantier’s killer?

On the day Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s body was found at the end of the lane at her holiday home near Schull in 1996, a group of old school friends who were home for Christmas prepared to meet for drinks in the local pub. It was Monday, December 23, the day before Christmas Eve. Ronan Collins, an engineering student, had dinner at his friend Dillon Fairbairn’s house. Both were at Schull Community School with Jules Thomas’s children, Saffy, Ginny and Fenella.

---

Premium

Eight avenues gardaí can explore to catch Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s killer – and solve 26-year mystery

Almost 26 years since the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier at her West Cork holiday home, there are still avenues via which gardaí could catch the killer – or identify the culprit if the person is dead.

---

Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder: Son says family have ‘big expectations’ as gardaí open cold-case review

The son of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier has said the family have “big expectations” after the dramatic Garda statement last night confirming a review of the case file.

---

Ian Bailey’s solicitor ‘hopeful’ garda cold-case review will be successful – but says new DNA tech may not assist investigation

Ian Bailey’s solicitor Frank Buttimer said he does not believe any new DNA evidence will be uncovered which will reveal who murdered Sophie Toscan du Plantier over 25 years ago.

---

Gallery

Premium

25 years after her brutal murder in west Cork, 25 key questions in hunt for Sophie’s killer

December 23, 2021, marked the 25th anniversary of the brutal murder of French mother of one Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) in west Cork.

---

Ian Bailey says he’s ‘delighted’ as gardaí launch cold-case review into 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier

Gardaí have ordered a cold-case review into the Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) murder in West Cork over 25 years ago.

---

Gallery

Sick of being ‘commodified’ — Ian Bailey plans own series on Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder

Ian Bailey, the former chief suspect in the murder of Sophie Tuscan du Plantier, says he plans to produce his own podcast and documentary series about the infamous killing.

---

Sophie Toscan du Plantier death probe moves to fresh witness interviews amid suggestions gardaí may revive immunity provisions in the case

The investigation into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is no longer a reassessment, but has moved into a series of fresh interviews with established witnesses and newly identified potential sources of information.

---

Ian Bailey writes his third letter to Garda chief about Sophie Toscan du Plantier ‘review’

Ian Bailey has written to the Garda Commissioner asking about the status of a potential cold-case review into the killing of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

---

Gallery

Premium

Cold-case unit files its initial review into murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier

A preliminary review by specialist cold-case investigators into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier is now complete, and is due to be submitted to one of the most senior gardaí in the country, the Sunday Independent can reveal.

---

Gallery

Premium

Ian Bailey: ‘I don’t need to know who murdered Sophie’

By his own admission, Ian Bailey is feeling groggy. “It’s been a long year, I suppose. A lot has happened,” remarks the 64-year-old, as he stirs his coffee following late breakfast in a local tavern in Glengarriff, Co Cork.

---

Gallery

30,000 people sign Justice for Ian Bailey petition organised by ‘wife of ghost pirate’

A woman who previously claimed to have married the ghost of a pirate has sent a petition with almost 30,000 signatures seeking ‘Justice for Ian Bailey’ to the Garda Commissioner .

---

Ian Bailey living in log cabin provided by Cork council as emergency accommodation

Former journalist Ian Bailey has secured temporary emergency accommodation and is living in a log cabin in the seaside village of Glengarriff in West Cork.

---

Gallery

‘Not my top priority’ - Ian Bailey is offered lie detector test over murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier

The owner of Ireland's longest-established lie detector service has said she is prepared to conduct a polygraph analysis on Ian Bailey.

---

Ian Bailey’s drug driving appeal hearing adjourned

Ian Bailey has had his appeal against a drug driving conviction adjourned.

---

Gallery

‘Bailey will be extradited to France,’ insists lawyer for Sophie’s family

Ian Bailey will “eventually” be extradited to France, a lawyer representing the family of murdered Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier has said.

---

Premium

‘Man with French accent’ makes threats to Bailey

Ian Bailey has contacted gardaí after receiving a “threatening” phone call in the early hours of yesterday from a man with a French accent.

---

Play

Late Late appeal from Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s son made Ian Bailey ‘feel like crying’

Ian Bailey “felt like crying” as he watched the son of murdered Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier make an emotional appeal on Friday’s Late Late Show for anyone with information about her killing to come forward.