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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ian Bailey's ashes scattered in west Cork
A sister of Ian Bailey said innocent victim Sophie Toscan du Plantier's family is 'misguided' for believing that he killed her. Kay Reynolds was speaking on Friday when she scattered her brother's ashes near the 1996 death site in west Cork, as he requested. Bailey, who died 16 months ago, was found guilty of French filmmaker Sophie's murder in a trial in France in 2019 without his attendance. Ms Reynolds spoke of how Bailey cherished the area, which he was tied to for legal reasons, and claimed the murder probe impacted his health. She said her sibling 'had nothing to hide' and she expressed sympathy for the family of Sophie. She told Cork's 96fm Opinion Line with PJ Coogan: 'He absolutely loved West Cork with a passion. 'I know there was the warrant that meant he couldn't leave the country and he used to say, 'I wouldn't want to be anywhere else'.' When producer Paul Byrne asked Kay if 'pressure' from the 'murder investigation' contributed to 'his already ill health?', she said: 'Without question.' She added: 'I think if he'd have kept quiet, it would have been better. But that wasn't Ian's style. He felt he didn't need to hide. 'He had nothing to hide. And so he confronted his challenges face on. 'I think it came out very close to the time that there were things, I think, that the gardai felt only someone involved in the crime would have known. I don't think that helped. But as a family, we never thought that he'd done these things because that was his style of journalism. 'When he lived in Gloucester, we were near GCHQ, and he found out all sorts of things that other journalists didn't. 'He thought outside the box and he came up with things that no one else had thought about. And I think that's really what had to happen there and in the end became his downfall, really. He came up with all sorts of ideas around what had happened and that's how he became a suspect.' Kay stated she never questioned her brother's innocence and vowed: 'Never for a second.' She added: 'We never doubted him that he'd been involved in this.' She also expressed sympathy with Sophie's relatives and said: 'A very young mother was brutally murdered. 'I feel so sorry for the family because I think because of their misguided belief that Ian committed the murder, they've just had so many years of torture. 'And I just wish them peace around this. And hopefully the cold case will [help]. It's just not only losing her, but to have no peace and thinking that Ian was the perpetrator and that he's got away with it. 'I can't imagine what that must be like for them. And I just feel so sorry for them.' Taoiseach Micheal Martin claimed last year, when he was Tanaiste, the State let Bailey away with Sophie's murder. After he died in 2024 f rom a suspected heart attack, gardai conducted a search under warrant of his home and seized items, including a laptop computer, memory sticks, notebooks, and materials with DNA.
Sunday World
07-05-2025
- Sunday World
Suspect in Cork upskirting incident found dead in B&B after checking in under fake name
The man died days after his image was shown on Crime Call in connection with the assault The image of the suspect aired on Crime Call days before the mans death The suspect in an upskirting incident in Co. Cork was found dead at a B&B after checking in under a fake name. Speaking on Cork's 96fm Opinion Line with PJ Coogan, producer Paul Byrne said that the man booked into the bed and breakfast a few days after his image was broadcast on Crime Call. Gardaí shared the picture of a suspect in an upskirting investigation on the RTÉ programme in January as they sought to speak to him in relation to the assault. The man was discovered deceased in his room after he failed to show up for breakfast or check out. The owner knocked at the room door, and when he got no answer, he went inside where he discovered the man dead in the bathroom. While he checked in under a false name, the only possession he had with him was his passport, which featured his real identity. The image of the suspect aired on Crime Call days before the mans death The News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, 7th of May The man was pronounced dead at the scene, in what Gardaí said is a 'personal tragedy.' His family were notified of his death. On 11th September 2024 at approximately 8.55pm the suspect is seen following a young woman in the McCurtain St area of the city. When they got to the top of the street, the suspect leaned forward with his mobile phone and pointed it underneath her skirt. As he moved away, the victim noticed him and confronted him about his behaviour. He was then seen going back the way he came. The image of the suspect aired on Crime Call days before the mans death Described as average height, about 5 foot 10, probably aged in his 50s and has receding brown hair, the man was well dressed, wearing a suit, and carrying a briefcase. Gardaí believe the man had attempted to do the same thing to another person on a previous occasion. Nobody came forward with any information, but following the man's death, Gardaí realised they had found their suspect. The woman at the centre of the assault has been notified, and the case is now closed. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in the article, you can contact Women's Aid on 1800 341 900 or Samaritans on 116 123.
