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No chance Ian Bailey would ever travel to France for new trial, solicitor says

There's no chance of Ian Bailey ever going to France to face a new murder trial, according to his...
Newstalk
Newstalk

11.03 27 Aug 2021


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No chance Ian Bailey would ever travel to France for new trial, solicitor says


Newstalk
Newstalk

11.03 27 Aug 2021


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There's no chance of Ian Bailey ever going to France to face a new murder trial, according to his solicitor.

It's after French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday said a new trial could be arranged for him in Paris.

Mr Bailey was convicted in his absence of the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier by a French court in 2019.

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Irish courts have refused to extradite Mr Bailey to France, and he has never been charged here with the crime, which happened in west Cork 25 years ago.

Speaking during his visit to Dublin yesterday, Mr Macron said: "Should [Mr Bailey] agree to come to France, a new trial could be organised - but so far he has been refusing to do so."

His solicitor, Frank Buttimer, has responded to Mr Macron's comments today - saying there are "no circumstances" under which his client would travel to France.

He told Newstalk it's "nonsense" to suggest Mr Bailey would get a fair trial in France.

He said: "It didn't come as a surprise to me to see that the French are continuing their pursuit of Mr Bailey, which has been relentless since [around] 2008.

"Unfortunately for Mr Bailey the nightmare continues."

Asked why Mr Bailey would never return to France voluntarily, Mr Buttimer said: "It's like asking why a chicken would not go into the chicken coop when the fox is there already."

The murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has received renewed attention following the release of two new TV documentaries about the killing earlier this year.

Mr Buttimer said it remains a "tragedy" for the Toscan du Plantier family, and it "remains a mystery" as to who killed the French woman.

However, he said there remains "absolutely no tangible or realistic evidence" linking Mr Bailey to the crime.

He said Irish authorities also don't recognise the conviction of his client in France.

Main image: Emmanuel Macron (Photograph: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie) and Ian Bailey (Photo: RollingNews.ie)
Reporting by Eoghan Murphy. Additional reporting by Stephen McNeice

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