Probe into seized Bailey items may take months
Sophie cops examine tech & docs
reviewing the probe, would be involved in the examination.
But the electronic equipment seized would have to be sent to the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau in Dublin for analysis – and they have a huge workload of cases already.
Gardai examining the hard copy documents will have to go through a laborious process of looking at every piece of paper to see if it contains any evidence – such as a confession from beyond the grave, or anything incriminating.
But if they do find anything of interest, they will have to be able to prove that Bailey was the author.
Sources said that process would include handwriting comparison, as well as checking the paper for fingerprints and even DNA samples.
“You will have to be able to prove that Bailey wrote what is on any documentation,” a source said.
Even though Bailey is dead and cannot now be
prosecuted, sources have Toscan du Plantier told the Irish Mirror that detectives will finish their cold case review and officers in Bantry leading the probe will then send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Sources say gardai hope the DPP will review the new investigation and decide there would have been enough evidence for Bailey to be charged.
That would mean they would be able to close the case – and Sophie’s family would get some closure.
Sources say the investigation is ongoing and Friday’s search was a key part of the investigation.
Sources also warned it was highly unlikely Bailey had left any confession or any incriminating statements in his papers but each page still has to be checked.
THE Garda operation to examine all the items seized from Ian Bailey’s home and car is likely to take months, it emerged last night.
Sources have told the Irish Mirror that the examination will be painstaking and slow – and may even involve screening for DNA and fingerprints.
They said: “It will take weeks if not months. It will not be a quick process.”
Dozens of books, documents and pieces of electronic equipment were seized when gardai from Bantry station searched his home in the Cork town on Friday morning – less than a week after his death.
Bailey, 66, was the prime suspect for the December 1996 murder in Toormore near Schull in West Cork of Sophie Toscan du Plantier – and he maintained his innocence up to his death.
The former journalist died of a massive heart attack as he walked in Bantry on KILLED January 21 – just yards from the home that was searched under warrant on Friday morning.
Officers from Bantry as well as detectives from the Garda cold case unit spent several hours in Bailey’s flat looking for any clues linking him to the murder of the 38-year-old filmmaker.
It’s thought the seized items will be examined to see if Bailey made any admission on them that he was the man who beat Sophie to death outside her home.
Sources have told us, however, that the process to examine the documents and other items will be a long and slow one.
They said gardai from Bantry, the base of the murder investigation, as well as officers from the cold case unit that is
You’ll have to be able to prove Bailey wrote that on any documents SOURCE ON IF ANY CONFESSION IS FOUND