Gardaí seize files and digital devices from Ian Bailey's flat in West Cork
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Gardaí investigating the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier have conducted a search of a flat that was rented by Ian Bailey and taken away digital devices and a large quantity of paperwork.
Sources said it was way too early to tell if there might be anything of “evidential value” in the items and said it would take some time to work through the material and examine the devices.
A computer, storage devices, and mobile phone were among the electronic items seized. They will be examined by forensic specialists in the regional computer crime unit in Cork.
A team of officers, led by the detective unit in Bantry Garda Station, which is still conducting the murder investigation, assisted by the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT), which is carrying out a cold-case review, entered an apartment on Barrack Street in Bantry on Friday morning on foot of a court warrant.
It is understood the investigation team was keen to conduct the search before any efforts were made to clear its contents to allow the landlord to rent the property again.
Bailey, aged 66, died of a suspected heart attack last Sunday in Bantry.
The garda team spent the day going through the apartment and placing the various items into evidence bags and boxes.
As well as the digital devices, a large amount of documents, newspapers, and paperwork were removed.
Garda sources have stressed that a considerable amount of work will have to be done to go through the documents and identify the small number of items that might warrant further examination.
“He was known as a writer and poet and journalist, so there is a lot of material there,” said a source.
“Gardaí will have to try and make sense of it all. If there is anything of value or evidential value, it is far from clear.”
Various personal items and clothing were also removed, which, if necessary, could provide an updated DNA sample.
It is understood that Bailey had been living in the flat for around two years after his relationship with Jules Thomas broke up.
Detectives in Bantry are working with the SCRT, with local gardaí leading the murder investigation, but with the assistance offered by the cold-case unit.
The cold-case file will go all the way to the Garda Commissioner for his assessment before being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, it is understood.
The death of Mr Bailey removed the possibility of him ever facing charges for the murder of the French national in Schull, west Cork in December 1996.
The cold case investigation was established in June 2022 and gardaí say the team will complete their investigation and point out they have to exhaust all lines of inquiry, including “conspiratorial theories”.
It is understood the investigation file, when completed, will be sent to the Assistant Commissioner Organised and Serious Crime, Justin Kelly, and then to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, both of whom will review the file.
If the file points to Bailey, it is unclear whether the DPP will make an assessment as to whether or not there is sufficient evidence to have brought charges if he was still alive or if that decision would be made known.
In a statement, Garda HQ said: "As part of the ongoing investigation into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in 1996, Gardaí conducted a search under warrant of a residential property in Bantry, County Cork earlier today, Friday 26 of January, 2024. As this is an ongoing investigation An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further at this time."