- December 21, 2020
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[21] Bailey was successful in avoiding extradition, and in 2018, a French court ruled there was "sufficient grounds" for Bailey to face trial in absentia. But even after investigating the case for years, there is still no definite answer as to who committed this violent crime, or why. "We had people bringing their grannies and their small children to look at the cross marking where Sophie was found, and then some of them were cheeky enough to drive up to the house and peer in the windows," Shirley Foster, Toscan du Plantier's former neighbor who found her body, told The Irish Times. The 39-year-old was bludgeoned to death at her holiday home in Ireland, with. I didnt want to be involved in a voyeuristic project. The 39-year-old was found. 3 July 2021 In 2001, he was convicted of assault in Skibbereen District Court. Mum-of-one Sophie, 38, had bought her holiday home near idyllic Toormore on Irelands rocky West Cork coast in 1993. from Sophies cottage and the Bailey / Thomas house. Several witnesses reported being told by Bailey before noon that he was reporting on a murder of a French woman. [26], In 2014, when it came to light that phone calls at Garda stations had been secretly recorded, there were claims that some recordings from Bandon Garda station had evidence of irregularities in the Toscan du Plantier investigation. I think if people want to pay attention to the murder, they will but if they dont, they just really turn off because its too traumatic for them, she said. On 12 October 2020, the judge Paul Burns in Ireland's High Court ruled that Bailey could not be extradited. After his failed libel case, the judge stated that "Mr Bailey is a man who likes a certain amount of notoriety, that he likes perhaps to be in the limelight, that he likes a bit of self-publicity". The person who gave the statement earlier this week spoke to Gardai before about the investigation and on this occasion spoke to officers at Bantry Garda Station at length about the 'confession' made to him about the bloody clothes. Speaking to me from London, he describes the process of humanising the story. Netflix. The man seen by Marie Farrell was walking west from Kealfadda bridge, towards Goleen, and away from Sophies cottage and the Bailey / Thomas house. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Decades later, the case remains a hot topic of discussion among true crime enthusiasts, which made it a prime subject for a Netflix documentary: "Sophie: A Murder in West Cork.". Under French law, extraterritorial jurisdiction applies to the murder of a French citizen anywhere in the world. Where is the West Cork house where Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered? The man seen by Marie Farrell was walking west from Kealfadda bridge, towards Goleen, and. The one bit of DNA found at the crime scene that didn't belong to du Plantier has not been identified. Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered in west Cork 25 years ago. Where is Sophie Tuscan du Plantier's house? Photograph: Daniel Newman. The distance between the two properties is around 2.5km as the crow flies, but the two possible road routes are much further. The Garda file on the case remains open and unsolved. [16], In February 2010, a European Arrest Warrant was issued by a French magistrate which led to the High Court in Ireland granting an extradition order. Now, a house in Toormore that shares a laneway with the Tuscan du Plantier house has been listed for sale. In 2001, Ireland's Director of Public Prosecutions ruled there was not enough evidence to support the prosecution of Bailey for du Plantier's murder. Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified On 23 December 1996, the body of Sophie Toscan du Plantier was discovered outside her remote. Pic: Family Handout/PA Wire. Enjoying spectacular panoramic views to the Fastnet Rock the property is c. 1 mile north of Toormore on the scenic Mizen Head peninsula.. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee. Bailey lost a libel case against six newspapers in 2003. These were the worst possible crime-scene circumstances: outdoors, in the middle of the road, when it takes 12 hours to get there and there is a community culture of staying quiet. Pic: REX/Shutterstock. 3 July 2021 By Roger L. Kennedy roger@TheCork.ie Easy to find on Google Maps but perhaps it's best not to visit there in person, out of respect for neighbours Toormore, West of Schull town, is a scenic area. Offering enormous further potential the property requires some renovation and modernisation. [citation needed]. Any tourists who happens to be near the area should note there is nothing to actually see there apart from a small cross. Share your story: have you recently obtained an Irish passport for the first time? Yet unavoidably, Sophies loved ones cannot rest until they know who murdered her. Located on the far westerly coast of Ireland, its full of magnificent views as the rugged coastline gives way to the wild Atlantic sea. Like Foster, she wont be watching the documentaries. It did find that Garda improperly disclosed confidential information about the investigation to journalists and other civilians. Sign up for Bustle UK's twice-weekly newsletter, featuring the latest must-watch TV, moving personal stories, and expert advice on the hottest viral buys. Readers might prefer instead to visit more tourist-friendly areas such as Ballyrisode Beach which has a carpark or Crookhaven which has a pub and views or Barleycove Beach. In May 2019, Bailey was tried in absentia in France. But as Chinn says: Were not here to do the job of the police or the lawyers. He attributed these to cutting down a Christmas tree on the morning of the 22nd. GP Wood Ltd operates a timber yard in EnnisKeane in West Cork. However, a forester said that the type of tree Bailey climbed was unlikely to produce such wounds. The commission concluded that while there was evidence Garda were "prepared to contemplate" altering or suppressing evidence that Bailey had not committed the murder, there was no evidence Garda had actually done so. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. When questioned, Bailey said his hands, and his forehead, had been scratched by climbing a tree to cut its top off for a Christmas tree and from killing a turkey. ", "Sophie Toscan du Plantier, un drame sans fin", https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/sophie-toscan-du-plantiers-west-20962469, "Court hears Bailey wrote newspaper articles about murder inquiry", "A 23-year investigation: What next for the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case? So the mystery has clung on for 25 years. As the documentary progresses, it becomes a subtle but searching inquiry into grief, whose entire focus is the particularity of the lost person. Sarah Lambert, the producer of Netflixs new documentary, Sophie: A Murder in West Cork, struggles to underline how big a deal this was. In December 1996 Sophie went to Toormore alone, intending to spend a few days there before returning to Paris for Christmas. Sophie was 39-years-old when she was murdered. (A modern house might boast an A2 rating). Whats fascinating about this documentary is that it manages to elicit both responses by turns. Questions also arose about the amount of detail in Bailey's articles. The 297 recorded calls regarding the investigation which had survived a flood were investigated by the Fennelly Commission. Locals have had to deal with the morbid fascination over the home as the case has stretched on over the last 25 years. Mrs Toscan du Plantier was murdered outside her home in west Cork in December 1996 and there has yet to be a conviction in Ireland in relation to her death. The executive producer is Simon Chinn, the double-Oscar-winning documentary producer behind Man on Wire and My Scientology Movie (which shares this projects director, John Dower). Du Plantier considered her Irish farmhouse a refuge from her busy life in France alongside her famous film producer husband, Daniel Toscan du Plantier. ", "Ian Bailey had scratches on hands, court told", "Journalist says he was at home on night of murder", "Ian Bailey case: Marie Farrell walks out of High Court witness box", "Cork murder witness tried to sell her story", "Ian Bailey case: Marie Farrell evidence derailed action", "Association pour la Verite sur L'Assassinat de Sophie Toscan du Plantier ne Bouniol", "Bailey arrested as French authorities up extradition bid", "Ian Bailey's lawyers seek leave to appeal", "Ian Bailey wins appeal against extradition", "High Court endorses Ian Bailey European Arrest Warrant", "British man to face trial in France over 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier", "Long political silence over garda conduct during Ian Bailey case", "Ian Bailey cannot be extradited to France, High Court rules", "State will not appeal refusal to extradite Ian Bailey to France", "Ian Bailey could face 'new trial' if he agrees to come to France, Macron says", "Garda to review Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case", "West Cork Is a Meticulous and Thoughtful True-Crime Podcast", "RT One to air The Du Plantier Case tonight", "Murder at the Cottage release date: Trailer, news and more", "New Sky Crime doc on murdered Sophie identifies three suspects", "Sophie: A Murder in West Cork. The force has made it clear in recent times that the case is not a cold case and it remains an active investigation. Just months after Bailey's attack on Jules, Sophie the wife of a wealthy director of the Gaumont cinema chain was killed. The warrant sought to extradite Bailey to France to stand trial for the voluntary homicide of Sophie Toscan du Plantier and the High Court of Ireland endorsed the warrant. Schull postmaster Tommy Newman thinks the good, decent people of Ireland want somebody to be charged they want the murderer to be found. The Schull murder was thrust back into the spotlight this year following the release of two documentaries about the murder -- one by Sky and another by Netflix. Witnesses who were with him on the evening of the 22nd, before the murder, could not recall any injuries. Ian Bailey, whom garda say remains a suspect for the murder and who was convicted in his absence and without legal representation at a trial in France in 2019 of the voluntary homicide of Ms Toscan du Plantier, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the killing. Sophie was murdered after her head was brutally bashed with a concrete block on her driveway, 100 yards from the front door of her holiday home near Schull on December 23, 1996. She called the station from her house to say she would not come forward, the call was traced and she was subsequently identified. In a place where you couldnt buy a new cardigan without everyone knowing about it, how would anyone get away with murder? Bailey, who willingly provided a hair sample, denied any involvement in the murder when he spoke with police. We look forward to other new developments within a short time.'. Bailey was known to local Garda from previous incidents of domestic violence towards his partner, which had resulted in her hospitalisation. Gazeau, when he became involved in the film, had only three requests. Sign up for our Celebrity & Entertainment newsletter. She was much more than a cousin, Gazeau says. These grabs from Google maps show just how sparsely populated and remote this area is. The killing doesnt impinge on everyday life here. 4 hours ago, by Eden Arielle Gordon Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}513147N 94035W / 51.5297N 9.6763W / 51.5297; -9.6763. 3. [6] The facial injuries were so severe that her neighbour could not formally identify her. [1] She was a French television producer [2] and lived in Paris with her husband and a son from her first marriage. While Ian Bailey, a local journalist during the time of the murder, remains the sole suspect in the investigation, the true-crime case is still legally unresolved. And Daniel, who spoke to du Plantier on the phone a short time before the attack, was in France. In 2019, Bailey was convicted of murder by the Cour d'Assises in Paris, France, and sentenced to 25 years in prison. One reporter who covered du Plantier's murder for several publications was Ian Bailey, a British national who'd worked as a journalist in England before relocating to Cork in 1991, where he focused on poetry and gardening. I know a lot of married couples that will separate and go back to their parents. I slept at her house because her, her son and me, we were like a trio. The devastation her son describes of losing her in his teens is so hard to hear. She obviously arrived at the gate under her own free will. Sophie Toscan du Plantier, ne Bouniol, was born on 28 July 1957. The cottage is located in the townland of Dunmanus West in rural West Cork. Though Paris courts convicted the journalist of murder in 2019, Irish courts didn't recognize the French law used to convict him. [4], Toscan du Plantier was found at 10 a.m., dead, dressed in nightwear and boots, in a laneway beside her house, by a neighbour. . The police tried to track du Plantier's movements from the time she'd flown into Cork Airport on her own on December 20, spoke to numerous witnesses and received anonymous tips on the phone. The most obvious and straightforward road route is over the top via Dunmanus, but there is a road route that goes via Kealfadda Bridge too. That sense of responsibility for what happened to Sophie here still lingers because people knew Sophie and she was lovely and I feel for her family because its still unsolved and I dont think these documentaries are helping. [citation needed] A Garda Sochna Ombudsman Commission report concluded that while there was a lack of administration and management in the investigation, there was no evidence of high-level corruption. The renewed conversation about the murder may have had an impact as a new statement has now been given to Gardai about the infamous case. The announcement to her husband . But its hard to play armchair detective and empathise at the same time. Created by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde, "West Cork" is an investigation into the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. People were flabbergasted that she, a mother, would be there by herself so late in December. The location was so remote, the community so tight-knit, that such violence seemed incongruous. 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