JOURNALIST IAN Bailey could be tried in his absence in France if a French magistrate can produce enough evidence for him to be charged there with Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s murder, a French police official has confirmed.
Mr Bailey, who has always denied any involvement in the murder, is appealing against a decision by the High Court last March to extradite him from the Republic to France on foot of a European arrest warrant issued by a French magistrate.
The home office attache at the French embassy in London, Eric Battesti, said it was possible that the French authorities would proceed to trial without Mr Bailey if he wins a Supreme Court appeal against his extradition.
“I don’t wish to speculate on what the Irish Supreme Court will do, or on Ian Bailey. But I can comment on French justice . . . it is possible for someone to be tried in their absence in France if there is enough evidence against them,” he said.
Mr Battesti was speaking yesterday following a briefing outside Bandon Garda station on the visit by French investigators and scientists to investigate the murder in Toormore near Schull in December 1996.
He paid tribute to the Garda for the work that they had done in the original Irish investigation. But he expressed confidence that the French team would make progress in the inquiry.
The French diplomat, three detectives and two forensic scientists had a short meeting with senior officers in charge of the Irish investigation: Chief Supt Tom Hayes, Supt John Quilter and Det Insp Joe Moore at Bandon station. In the afternoon Det Insp Moore brought Mr Battesti and his colleagues to the victim’s isolated holiday home at Dreenane near Toormore and showed them the crime scene where her badly beaten body was found.
Asked about how confident he was of the French team finding new leads, Mr Battesti replied: “Yes, we are confident. We are not quite sure of the outcome of the results, but we will do our utmost to discover the killer of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.”
The French scientists will begin carrying out tests today at a location in west Cork using their own equipment brought from France on over 70 of the 200-plus exhibits gathered by gardaí in the investigation of the murder.
