A retired Superintendent has denied accusations of buck passing among senior gardai over who was in charge of the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation.

Journalist Ian Bailey is suing the State and Garda Commissioner for alleged wrongful arrest on suspicion of murdering the French film producer at her West Cork holiday home in 1996.

State witness Anne Cahalane has told the jury she played Sophie Toscan du Plantier in a Crimeline reconstruction of the days leading up to the film maker's death.

She said Ian Bailey approachd the crew while filming at Three Castle Head in January 1997.

She said he came a cross the field and told them he knew Sophie Toscan du Plantier, that he'd met her on that walk and had an inside track.

She said she didn't attach any importance to it at the time but in 2012 her former partner Peter Wilson drew her attention to a newspaper article where Ian Bailey said he didn't know the French woman.

Anne Cahalane said she and her partner recalled the earlier conversation and made a statement to gardai.

Her former partner Peter Wilson gave similar evidence and said rumours about the murder were already rife at the time of the shoot.

He said gardai delayed one scene at The Courtyard pub in Schull because Ian Bailey was present.

Another witness retired Supt JP Twomey denied he headed up the murder investigation and claims from Mr Bailey's side that senior gardai are buck passing as to who was in charge