Funeral held for Ian Bailey in Cork

The funeral of Ian Bailey, who was the main suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, has taken place in Ireland.

In a statement from his next-of-kin issued through Mr Bailey’s solicitor Frank Buttimer, the private service was confirmed to have taken place in Cork on Tuesday morning.

He was cremated following the service.

Mr Bailey, 66, died on Sunday.

He had a severe heart condition and had been a candidate for surgery.

The body of Ms Toscan du Plantier, a 39-year-old French producer, was found badly beaten outside her holiday home in Schull, West Cork, in December 1996.

Mr Bailey, with an address at The Prairie in Schull, was convicted of her murder in his absence by a Paris court in May 2019, which imposed a 25-year sentence.

He had no legal representation, did not attend the court and described it as a farce at the time.

In October 2020, the High Court in Ireland rejected an attempt by French authorities to extradite Mr Bailey for the murder.

The court ruled that he would not be surrendered to France after a European Arrest Warrant was issued in 2019.

Mr Bailey had always vehemently denied any involvement in Ms Toscan du Plantier’s death.