The brother of Sophie Toscan du Plantier has said that he agrees with Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who recently criticised a decision by the DPP not to prosecute the late Ian Bailey for the murder of the French woman.
The Fianna Fáil leader said that there were significant questions that remained unanswered in relation to the death of Ms Du Plantier at her remote holiday home in Toormore on the outskirts of Schull in West Cork on December 23rd, 1996.
In an interview with the Opinion Line, on Cork’s 96FM, Bertrand Bouniol said that he was “disappointed” with the Irish criminal justice system.
“During these 27 years, the Garda and the justice was not able to bring someone to a trial. That's not normal. And I agree with (the Tánaiste) about that. I totally agree with what he said about that. I don't think that the Irish justice is worse or better than the French justice system.
"I don't accept that in Ireland, there is no one who has killed my sister. If I look at the 27 years, all the investigations arrive at the same conclusion. But I am not a specialist of the Irish justice, I'm not a specialist of the French justice, but what I have seen is, as you said, the Irish justice was not able to bring this man to a trial," he said
"But when I spoke with the Irish police, with the Garda, all the people we have met during these 27 years arrived at the same conclusion. Well, what we have seen in the last 27 years, all the work done by the Irish police, by the French police, by the Irish justice, by the French justice, are arriving at the same conclusion, that it was Bailey.”
Mr Bailey was on two occasions detained by Gardaí for questioning in relation to the murder of 39-year-old Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
Mr Bailey always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder of the film producer.
The former journalist was convicted in absentia after a trial in France in 2015. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
However, officials in France were unable to extradite the British man to Paris to serve the sentence handed down by the courts.
Mr Bouniol said that the French decision in 2019 was “important” for his elderly parents.
“Because for the first time there was a first conclusion for them. But with all the information coming regularly for them, it's a new difficulty for them to understand. As you can understand, my mother, if you met her, you know that she can’t speak English.
"The French justice would define that he was the murderer. That was the decision of justice, not my decision.
For the French justice, yes, (the case) is closed. There was a decision of justice, he was guilty, and now, because he is dead, no more.
"It's closed for the French justice. But if I understand the Irish people, the case is still open. Who killed my sister? From the Irish
point of view. There is no other suspect in Ireland.
"My parents are now very old and very sick. And that's 27 years later. Imagine. No conclusion from the Irish. I’m not angry. I'm disappointed, yes. Disappointed that 27 years later, soon it will be 28 years later.”
Mr Bouniol added that Sophie’s home in Toormore remains a “special place” for him and his family.
“Because when my sister bought this house, it was a place where she can think, write, work. And when you enter in this house, you find my sister's spirit. And that's important for us because when we are in the house and everyone who knew my sister that entered in the house can say the same thing."
"Oh, I recognize Sophie. On that picture, on that armchair, on that bed, and so on, and so on, and so on. And so each time we came, we had the same feeling. It's a place where you want to have peace, where you want to have quietness. And we have also the history of that terrible night. So it's important for us to come. It's a beautiful place.”
