AN APPLICATION TO endorse a European arrest warrant for Ian Bailey for the alleged voluntary homicide of Sophie Toscan du Plantier will be heard at the High Court tomorrow.
Mr Bailey (61) denies any involvement in the French woman’s death.
Justice Tony Hunt adjourned the hearing when Bailey’s legal team did not appear in court for the 10am hearing. Ronan Kennedy BL, counsel for the attorney general, said that Bailey’s solicitor was served notice of the High Court hearing on 16 March, four days ago.
He said that Bailey’s solicitor was told that the hearing could go ahead without him or his legal representatives but that any submissions they want to make on the European arrest warrant should be made to the court.
Kennedy added: “In light of the correspondence I am surprised there is not anyone in attendance in the court.”
Justice Hunt said Bailey and his legal representatives are “on notice” that the hearing will proceed tomorrow.
French authorities have already served Ian Bailey with an indictment and want him to face trial in France for the alleged voluntary homicide of Toscan du Plantier, who was found beaten to death outside her holiday home in Schull, west Cork, in December 1996.
This is the second time the French authorities have tried to bring Bailey to France to face a charge in relation to her death. In 2012 the Supreme Court ruled against an endorsement of a European arrest warrant to have Bailey sent to France to face a murder charge.
It is not unusual for the French authorities to prosecute a person for crimes committed against French citizens outside of France. The French authorities could also try Bailey in his absence.
Bailey has denied all links to the death of Toscan du Plantier and alleges a garda conspiracy to frame him for her killing.
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