The family of the late Sophie Toscan du Plantier yesterday expressed their satisfaction after meeting with the head of the Garda serious case review team about the killing.
Toscan du Plantier’s uncle, Jean Pierre Gazeau, told The Irish Times that the meeting with Det Supt Christy Mangan went very well and was very encouraging for the family.
Mr Gazeau and his associates, Jean Antoine Bloc-Daudet and lawyers Alain Spilliaert and James Mac Guill, spent over an hour briefing Det Supt Mangan on the murder of the French film producer.
“We are very hopeful – it was a good meeting and we believe a cold case review of the entire case from the very beginning could prove very helpful to us in our quest for justice,” he said.
Optimistic
Lawyer Alain Spilliaert was equally optimistic and said a cold case review by the Garda along with a simultaneous French investigation could finally lead to Toscan du Plantier’s killer being caught. “It was an interesting meeting. They are willing to help the family as much as they can; they don’t give any guarantee – they can’t do that at this stage – but we see it as a positive meeting, ” he said.
“The next step now is for our Irish lawyer James Mac Guill to formally write to the Garda Commissioner requesting the serious case review team to look at the case, which we will do. It’s up to the commissioner to make a decision but we are very hopeful and encouraged by the meeting with Det Supt Mangan, who was both sympathetic and very professional.”
Mr Bloc Daudet said a Garda cold case investigation would bring new perspectives that could lead to new evidence.
Det Supt Mangan said after the meeting that the family would now have to formally request a cold case review, which would then be assessed.
“Like any family in this situation, they are looking for answers – they have worked hard for 16 years to get justice for Sophie and they’ve ensured the case has remained high-profile, which is important.
“I couldn’t give them any commitment today – they will have to formally request a review from the Garda Commissioner, which will be assessed, and I’ll be happy to meet them again if they wish.”
Det Supt Mangan said he couldn’t give an exact time for a decision once a formal request was submitted to the commissioner, but he expected it would be relatively quick.
Ms Toscan du Plantier was killed at her holiday home at Dreenane in Toormore, near Schull in west Cork in the early hours of December 23rd, 1996.
