Ian Bailey has told the High Court he finds it 'shocking', 'strange' and 'bizarre' that the husband of Sophie Toscan du Plantier was 'too busy' after her murder to come to Ireland and assist gardaí.
The former journalist is suing the state over claims gardaí concocted evidence and wrongfully arrested him on suspicion of killing the French film producer in West Cork in December 1996.
It is his fifth day of evidence.
Mr Bailey told the jury he believes to this day that there is a French connection to the murder of ms du Plantier (39) who was found beaten to death at her West Cork holiday home.
Under cross examination about an article he co-wrote for the Sunday Tribune about the killing of the film producer, the former journalist said he found it 'shocking', 'strange' and 'bizarre' that her husband Daniel du Plantier was too busy to travel to Ireland to identify her body.
He said Ms du Plantier had told people in West Cork she was leaving her husband.
The jury heard at the time of the article, in January 1997, Mr Bailey had not informed The Sunday Tribune of his growing apprehension that he was considered a suspect in her murder.
He agreed that three weeks after her death he invited two gardaí to his home in Schull to express his concern that they were not pursuing any lines of inquiry to France.
