There is "not a shred of evidence" that Ian Bailey killed Sophie Toscan du Plantier, Jim Sheridan has claimed. 

The Oscar-nominated film director’s new docudrama, Re-Creation, about the infamous murder has premiered in the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in recent days. 

It promises to bring new evidence to light about Ms Toscan du Plantier’s death in West Cork in 1996. 

For years, many suspected local resident Ian Bailey was the culprit; although he was never charged by Gardaí, he was convicted of murder in absentia in a French court in 2019. 

The Irish State declined to extradite him and he continued to live in West Cork.

Mr Bailey died in 2024, maintaining his innocence until the end. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Sheridan believes the case is a "double injustice". 

“I feel Sophie’s murderer has never been found, her death has never been avenged,” he said.

“A man who probably was 100% innocent has been castigated through life; he lived a horrible life and died a horrible death and has a horrible name. 

“I don’t think he killed her and there’s not a shred of evidence to say he did.” 

Ian Bailey in Skibbereen, Cork in June 2019. Picture by: aphperspective / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Sheridan added that Mr Bailey’s conviction in a French court was a “farce”. 

When asked about the reaction of the Toscan du Plantier family, Mr Sheridan said that “of course” he knew he risked upsetting them when he made the film. 

“You can’t say because you’re upset that you can ruin another man’s life,” he said. 

“There’s no evidence.” 

He continued that the family of Mr Bailey have also suffered over the years. 

“I’m sure Ian Bailey’s sister was upset that there was nobody at his funeral and that he had to die that ignominious way,” he said. 

“I’m sure she’s upset.” 

Ian Bailey

During a defamation trial in Dublin in 2014, Mr Bailey admitted that he had been "seriously violent" towards his partner on three occasions. 

When asked about Mr Bailey’s history of violence, Mr Sheridan described it as “not good”. 

Sophie Toscan du Plantier and her son. Image: Supplied

Also on the programme, Alain Spilliaert, a lawyer for Ms Toscan du Plantier’s family, said he had not seen the film yet but that he has concerns. 

“Mr Jean-Pierre Gazeau, the uncle of Sophie and President of the Association, raised the issue of questionable ethics,” he said. 

“We feel that it is not relevant to show a fictional movie at this point of time of the criminal investigation. 

“This is such a large, sensitive case in Ireland… and it’s not finished.” 

Mr Spilliaert added that it would have been better to wait until the investigation finishes before any drama about the case is released. 

Last year, then-Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that “the evidence against the main suspect was broad and deep” and that Mr Bailey was a “violent man”.

Main image: Ian Bailey. Picture by: PA Archive/PA Images.