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TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said he believes that the case against Ian Bailey for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier should have gone before a jury.
He added that the fact that no one was convicted for her murder would “always be a deep shame for us”.
In December 1996, the body of the 39-year-old French filmmaker was found beaten outside her holiday home in Schull, West Cork.
Bailey, the self-confessed chief suspect for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, died in February.
Bailey, who was originally from Britain, was arrested by gardaí and questioned in relation to the murder but was never charged.
He had always denied any involvement in Toscan du Plantier’s death but was convicted of Sophie’s murder in his absence by a French court in May 2019.
In October 2020, the Irish High Court refused to allow his extradition to France.
Speaking at the launch of a book by journalist and author Senan Molony titled Sophie: The Final Verdict, Martin said that the “savage attack which took her (Sophie’s) life remains seared into our consciousness”.
He added that the “failure to deliver justice, to hold her murderer to account is and should always be a deep shame for us”.
Martin said that “our system proved incapable of meeting its responsibilities to Sophie” and adds that the “case continues to give us serious cause for reflection”.
“The simple fact is that we failed in our duty to find and convict a bloody murderer – and our system blocked alternative routes when others were not willing to accept our failures,” said Martin.
He said this was despite the fact that “the evidence against the main suspect was broad and deep”.
Martin described Bailey as a “violent man” who “had no respect for others”.
While Martin remarked that “no one expects that any justice system can operate without errors” he further said: “When you look at the details of this case and the scale of the evidence, it is very, very hard to understand why this evidence was not put before a jury.
“It is hard to understand why the system was so convinced by its interpretations of legal principles that it effectively threw its hands in the air and gave up.
“The fact that we have absolute independence in our judicial system, that no external pressure can be applied on independent prosecutors and judges is a great strength which we should value.
“And at the same time, we can admit that this system failed Sophie Toscan du Plantier. We can ask for a proper review of whether decisions were reasonable which blocked a murder trial or which would have predetermined its outcome.”
Martin said it was time for an “honest conversation about why crimes which can be processed much quicker in other democratic societies seem endlessly delayed here” and pointed to the “rapid conviction of rioters” in the UK recently compared to Ireland’s response to rioters.
“We could dramatically increase the resources at every level and we would still operate principles and practice which delay justice, often excessively,” said Martin.
Martin added that he hopes the cold case review currently underway into Sophie’s murder can “bring some clarity” and answer some of the questions her family have waiting nearly three decades for.
Also speaking at the book launch was Sophie’s uncle Jean-Pierre Gazeau.
He said that although Bailey was convicted in France in his absence, Sophie’s family “still do not have the complete truth”.
He called for an official inquest to be launched and added that her family is “awaiting strong and decisive action from the Irish State”.
“There are too many flaws in this sad and tragic story; to have a meaningful investigation into all the circumstances of her death, on the subsequent investigation and legal processes is essential to deliver closure for the family.”
Gazeau noted that a public inquiry was announced yesterday into the murder of Pat Finucane in Belfast in 1989, and said “it is only right and proper that a public inquiry”.
“The same can be said in respect of the murder of Sophie,” said Gazeau.
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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