
Jules Thomas got to say private goodbye to her long-time lover Ian Bailey
She and his sister Kay Reynolds met up several days after a memorial service for the former journalist and long-time suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder, was held for his friends in West Cork.
Artist Jules, who lived with Bailey for more than 30 years until they split up in 2021, got very upset when she discovered she wasn't invited to the original service.
She revealed: 'It was all a bit of a misunderstanding. I heard from a journalist up in Dublin the day before that this get-together for Ian was going ahead and I could not believe I wasn't asked.
'It turned out that his sister Kay did not have a telephone number for me and a few days later she made contact.
'One of Ian's dying wishes was to have his ashes released in Dunmanus Bay. So Kay and I met up and went up to the Cliff Road to do it. However the tide was out so we had to come back the next day and scatter his ashes when the sea was in.
'I said my final goodbye to him, it was very emotional because we had been through so much together. The whole Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder had ruined all our lives.
'I got to throw most of his ashes into the sea – the bag was very heavy, but he was a very tall man after all. We laid him to rest and that's all that matters.' Ian Bailey. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The self-professed poet, 66, dropped dead from a massive heart attack as he walked down the street near his home in Bantry, Co Cork in January 2024.
Jules, who has an incurable disease, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a form of blood cancer, said Ian adored his little sister Kay.
She stated: 'Kay had no idea how sick Ian was in the months before he died. She knew nothing about his heart condition and that his life was in danger because they couldn't operate.
'He was very protective of her and didn't want to tell her in case it caused her worry. So when he died Ian's death came as a great shock to her and she found it very difficult to cope and deal with.
'I enjoyed our time together and we gave him the proper send-off that he deserved.'
But Jules told how she is writing a new book on the Sophie murder and is determined to tell her side of the story before she dies. The French film-maker, 39, was found battered to death on a lane 100 yards from her holiday home in Christmas 1996.
Nobody has ever been charged with the murder. Bailey was arrested twice but never charged. Ian Bailey and Jules Thomas in 2017
A French court found him guilty of the murder in absentia in. 2019 and sentenced him to 25 years jail. Bailey always denied any involvement and didn't do a day behind bars after the Irish courts refused to extradite him to France.
Jules, who provided Bailey with an alibi on the night of the murder, was also arrested as part of the investigation.
She said: 'I actually think I know who carried out the murder – someone with very powerful connections in this country. I will be writing everything in the book. I want to set the record straight once and for all.
'The truth is Ian may not have been perfect because he was not a killer. I kept telling them that but the Gardaí wouldn't listen. Ian couldn't even kill a turkey for God sake, let alone a human being.'
Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Independent
27 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Meet the baby owl born at the Irish National Heritage Park in Wexford – ‘We're absolutely thrilled'
The stunning new addition to the park is already captivating staff and visitors. While the barn owl is one of Ireland's most iconic birds of prey, it is also sadly threatened. Barn owl numbers have declined dramatically in recent decades due to habitat loss and road deaths. However, recent conservation efforts with a emphasis on habitat restoration have returned hope for these beautiful but silent hunters. 'We're absolutely thrilled,' says the park's master falconer, Jim O'Connor. 'A baby barn owl is a rare thing to see and a reminder of the vital importance of conservation. Visitors can come and see the baby owl during their visit, it's a magical experience.' Known for their eerie screeches and ghostly silent flight, barn owls play an essential role in controlling rodent populations and maintaining ecological balance. In Irish folklore, they have long been creatures of mystery and were once associated with omens and the spirit world. While its too early to tell the owl's gender, name suggestions are being invited from the local public.


Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ian Bailey's ex to open up on who she thinks murdered Sophie Toscan du Plantier
Ian Bailey's former lover believes she knows who murdered Sophie Toscan du Plantier in a new book. Jules Thomas, whose ex was long considered a suspect in the brutal killing in December 1996, is writing her autobiography as she battles a life-threatening blood disease. While she and Mr Bailey were no longer a couple when he died last year, she told how the crime ruined their lives and she will never forgive the gardai for how they treated them. Although Ms Thomas, who is a painter, didn't name names, she said the killer is someone well connected with the forces of law and order. She also believes the culprit was involved in a relationship with the tragic French film producer who was battered to death, just 100 yards from her holiday home in Schull, Co Cork. Ms Thomas said: "I will tell my side of the story in this book. I want to get the truth out there while I am alive. "Ian Bailey may have been a lot of things but he did not kill Sophie. "He didn't have it in him to kill anyone – he couldn't kill a turkey for God's sake." Ian Bailey arrives at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin with his partner Jules Thomas (Image: Collins Courts) The artist was Mr Bailey's alibi on the night Sophie was killed and detectives were hoping she would change her story after they split up three years ago. But she was having none of it. She recalled: "When gardai brought me in for questioning all those years ago they kept telling me my life was in danger and Ian would eventually kill me. Well here we are all these years later and guess what? Ian didn't kill me. "He has passed on and I am still here. He was never a danger to me or anyone else. Gardai, as far as I am concerned, tried to frame Ian for the murder and in doing so ruined our lives. "They never seriously looked at any other suspects. "In this book I will tell what actually went on and put the record straight. "Gardai did everything to get me to change my story but the truth is the truth. I kept telling them Ian did not kill Sophie but they wouldn't listen." Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Image: PATRICK ZIMMERMANN/AFP via Getty Images) Mr Bailey was arrested twice over the murder but never charged. He was then convicted in absentia by a French court of murder and sentenced to 25 years jail. But Irish authorities refused to extradite him because much of the evidence was based on hearsay and would never have been admissible in an Irish court. Ms Thomas' comments come as US forensic experts are using new technology to try and identify DNA from a blood sample found on the block used to kill Sophie. Her family in Paris are hoping for a breakthrough and are adamant the biological material will be that of Mr Bailey, who died of a heart attack. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.


Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Vogue Williams admits Spencer Matthews wasn't 'happy' after brutal criticism
Podcaster Vogue Williams has revealed that Spencer Matthews was "not happy" after she made her feelings known about one of her husband's prized possessions. After launching their self-titled Spencer and Vogue podcast, the husband-and-wife duo released multiple episodes each week, sharing insights into their busy home lives and answering questions from listeners. However, earlier this year, Spencer shocked fans as he revealed that he would be stepping away from the podcast to pursue other projects. It was later revealed that the show would continue, with Vogue's older sister Amber stepping in to take his place. Now, in her newly released autobiography Big Mouth, Vogue has reflected on her time podcasting with the former Made in Chelsea star and revealed how he was "not happy" after one particular comment she made during a recording. Vogue shared the anecdote in her new autobiography (Image: Mike Marsland, WireImagevia Getty Images) Lifting the lid on what annoyed her husband, she wrote: "He was especially not happy when I slagged the onion painting he did when he was sixteen years old." While she admitted that he had "thrown a few epic wobblers" over the years, she said their arguments were no different from those of any other couple: "Every so often he would threaten to quit, but these are the usual conflicts and dramas of a married couple." Soon after his time on their joint podcast came to an end, Spencer returned to the mic with a new podcast titled Untapped. Vogue first met Spencer in 2017 on a Channel 4 show (Image: undefined via Getty Images) Launched earlier this year, the podcast sees the former reality TV star interview sporting legends such as Mo Farah, Ulrika Jonsson and Ben Stokes, as he explores the factors behind their extraordinary achievements. Looking back on the couple's beginnings, it was eight years ago that they first crossed paths while competing on the Channel 4 show The Jump in 2017. Just a few months later, they tied the knot, surrounded by celebrity guests including Jamie Laing. The couple have three children together (Image: PA) The pair exchanged vows against the backdrop of Spencer's parents' stunning Glen Affric Estate in the Scottish Highlands. Since then, the couple have started a family together, welcoming their first child, Theodore, followed by daughter Gigi and youngest son Otto.