Bailey: I feel a bit cheated by Fennelly

Inquiry terms ‘not followed’

IAN BAILEY – who was arrested twice for the 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier – has claimed Judge Nial Fennelly did not follow the terms and conditions of the recent Garda inquiry, leaving him ‘feeling a bit cheated’.

He is now demanding a tribunal into how gardaí investigated her death. The call for a tribunal follows Mr Bailey’s recent arrest on foot of a European Arrest Warrant while accompanied by film director Jim Sheridan.

‘I want a standalone tribunal into the matter. I have the right to that,’ he said. ‘[The commission] was to look at the existence of the Bandon tapes and to look at any other acts or events in the course of the said Garda investigation, disclose any evidence of unlawful or improper conduct by members of An Garda Síochána in connection with that investigation.

‘The terms of reference for the Fennelly Commission, as stipulated by the Taoiseach, were not followed on the basis that Fennelly did not look at any other events or acts relating to the investigation. Judge [Nial] Fennelly, for whatever reason, chose not to go down that road. I understand why he narrowed the scope, it would still be going on if he hadn’t. But it’s left me feeling a bit cheated. I feel I have been short-changed.’

The inquiry was set up after it emerged calls to and from Garda stations – including Bandon Garda Station where detectives investigating Ms du Plantier’s murder were based – were routinely recorded. This emerged during Mr Bailey’s civil action against the State. The Fennelly Commission didn’t make any findings of criminal behaviour against any gardaí but accused some of improper conduct.

Meanwhile, the French authorities have sought Mr Bailey’s extradition to stand trial for Ms du Plantier’s death. A second European Arrest Warrant was endorsed last month and Mr Bailey was arrested in Dublin, in the presence of Mr Sheridan has carried out 20 hours of interviews with Mr Bailey and his wife, Jules for a documentary Mr Bailey said: ‘It is a long-term work in progress.’

No one has ever been charged in connection with the murder. Mr Bailey maintains that he is innocent.

‘I want a standalone tribunal into the matter’