Gardaí to f ly to France to pursue new Sophie suspect
GARDAÍ are to go to France to track down a new suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case, it has been revealed.
It’s understood the man is known to the Frenchwoman’s late husband, Daniel, who died in 2003.
A new cold case review team is expected to fly to France soon on foot of a statement last year by Schull shopkeeper Marie Farrell.
Ms Farrell claimed she saw a man wearing a dark coat, whom she can now identify, watching the mother-of-one just days before she was bludgeoned to death in December 1996.
Previously, Ms Farrell had told gardaí that the man was former journalist Ian Bailey, but she renounced that statement years later, saying she made it under pressure from gardaí.
It was filmmaker Jim Sheridan who first contacted the gardaí last year after Ms Farrell gave him information about the man while he was making his documentary, Murder at the Cottage – The Search for Justice for Sophie.
Mr Sheridan did not include her comments in his documentary as he believed they were pertinent to the investigation.
It’s understood the review team is taking Ms Farrell’s information seriously as a source confirmed they will travel to France to interview the man she allegedly saw at Kealfadda Bridge, some 2.5km from Ms Toscan du Plantier’s house, the night of the murder.
A security source told the Irish Daily Mail that the media reports about the trip are true, but would not elaborate as to how credible the intelligence is.
Ms Farrell claimed the man she identified looked as if he had been watching Ms Toscan du Plantier as she left the shop and proceeded to follow her.
It’s understood Ms Farrell recognised him upon viewing images of Sophie’s former husband online.
She presented the photograph to Mr Sheridan during the filming of his documentary and he recognised the man.
It’s reported the filmmaker asked Ms Farrell to swear an affidavit which he passed on to gardaí. She then provided Skibbereen gardaí with a detailed statement about her claim.
Former journalist Ian Bailey has been the main suspect in the murder for decades. He previously told the Irish Daily Mail that he is willing to cooperate fully with gardaí in their investigation and is hopeful its outcome will uncover ‘the truth’.
He said: ‘Just over 12 months ago I wrote to Commissioner Drew Harris as a “clean pair of hands” and asked him to reinvestigate the murder enquiry into Madame Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
‘I am on record in having said I am prepared to cooperate in any way I can with a meaningful and objective review of this case.
‘It has been my hope and prayer for a quarter of a century that the truth as it pertains to me – that I have nothing to do with this terrible crime – will come out,’ he said.
A Garda spokesman said: ‘The Garda investigation into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has remained active and ongoing.
‘Following a review by Assistant Commissioner, Organised and Serious Crime, the Garda Serious Crime Review Team will now conduct a full review of this case.
‘On the finalisation of this review, the Serious Crime Review Team will provide recommendations to the local investigation team.’
Mr Bailey, 65, was the focus of two documentaries last year, one of which he claims was demonising and ‘self-serving’.
He was arrested twice in connection with the death of Ms Toscan du Plantier – who was found dead outside her home in Schull, west Cork on December 23, 1996 – but he has never been charged.
He was found guilty by a French court in absentia and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
‘I will cooperate in any way I can’