Irish journalist in bid to be tried for murder in Ireland, not France

Irish journalist Ian Bailey has asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to take him to court for murder in Ireland in order to avoid a trial in France.

French authorities are preparing to mount a prosecution of Mr Bailey for the 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier near her holiday home in Cork.

However, Mr Bailey claims he would be denied a fair trial in France.

He is widely expected to be tried in absentia next year.

Mr Bailey told RTÉ: “I have written a letter to the DPP to ask her to charge me so that I may have the chance of a fair trial.

“I, objectively, believe there is no chance of fairness in France.”

Mr Bailey, who denies the allegations, added: “The only thing I can do at the minute is to, in effect, plead for the opportunity to be tried in Ireland so somehow this can be settled.”

Lawyer Alain Spilliaert, who represents Ms Toscan du Plantier’s son, said: “It’s a decision of the French justice system to try Mr Bailey now and he can do whatever he wants now in Ireland but that process has started in France following a long investigation.

“I don’t think Mr Bailey writing to the DPP is going to stop the French trial process.

“There was co-operation between the Irish and French justice systems and that has culminated in the French decision to seek an indictment order against Mr Bailey for voluntary homicide and that will result in a trial here in France and that’s the way it is.”