Despite Ian Bailey's conviction by the French courts, Ireland refuses to execute the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued against him and is relaunching investigations under the gaze of the French and European authorities.
This is a factual timeline of articles and events related to the case; however, the content of the articles is solely the responsibility of their authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the association.
2020
To date, the Irish state has not yet executed the last EAW issued following Ian Bailey's conviction.
Minutes of the General Assembly of the Assoph on December 2, 2019 : Newsletters to members N° 27 on March 31, 2020..
The Sophie Toscan du Plantier case: now an European affair: ASSOPH comments column (unpublished)..
July 2: European Commission report on the framework decision on the execution of the European Arrest Warrant: press release
October 12: : REFUSAL OF THE IRISH HIGH COURT TO EXECUTE THE EAW ISSUED AGAINST IAN BAILEY,followed by THE REFUSAL OF THE IRISH DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT: : Press release on October 17, 2020 et Newsletter to members n°28 of December 1, 2020
October 19 : EUROPEAN COMMISSION LAUNCHES SENTENCE PROCEDURE AGAINST IRELAND, for failing to comply with mandatory time limits and the spirit of the European Directive: Ireland has failed to comply with the mandatory time limits for executing an European Arrest Warrant. Ireland has also introduced additional grounds for refusing an European arrest warrant..
2021
April : Preliminary draft of letter to the European Commission expressing the position of ASSOPH
June 15 : Annual General Assembly of the Assoph, thirteenth session.
June 20 : Documentary "MURDER AT THE COTTAGE: THE SEARCH FOR JUSTICE FOR SOPHIE", released by SKY NEWS and directed by Jim Sheridan, winner of the 1994 Golden Bear Award for " In the Name of the Father ".
June 30 : Release of the documentary "SOPHIE: A MURDER IN WEST CORK / / SOPHIE: L'AFFAIRE TOSCAN DU PLANTIER" on Netflix.
The documentary receives a very good audience from its launch. It is estimated that the documentary has been viewed in over 190 countries by at least 20 million viewers.
July 1 : Portrait of Jean-Antoine Bloc-Daudé (1940 - 2021), ASSOPH vice-president, and a report on the General Assembly in Newsletter to members N°29
August 26 : At a press conference in Dublin, French President Emmanuel MACRON and Irish Prime Minister Micheál MARTIN discuss the case:
« (...) mutual trust will be the keystone in building a Europe of Justice. It is this mutual trust between
our jurisdictions that must lead us to find a way through this criminal case, but also to build a Europe of
Justice, which is the only way to ensure full respect for human rights. "
Emmanuel MACRON
Details of this press conference are given in Newsletter to members N°30 dated September 1, 2021..
September 3 Pierre-Louis appeals to Irish television for new testimonies and requests the reactivation of investigations in Ireland in the form of a Cold-Case Review. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EkXPae4GyE )
December 31 : Newslettter to members N°3125 years have passed since Sophie's murder, and the family is still hoping for a significant revival of the Irish investigations.
2022
July 4 In Ireland, the case is back in the headlines with this statement from Taoiseach Micheàl Martin and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee:
" NO stone will be left unturned to bring Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s killer to justice ", agreed the Taoiseach and Justice Minister Helen McEntee today, following a new investigation announced by the Serious Crime Review Team (article by Sean Molony in the Independent).
However, we have learned to refrain from any triumphalism after almost 26 years of waiting, of hopes following the conviction of the wrongdoer in France, and unfortunately, of disappointments in our quest for the truth. Will it finally be obtained as a result of these new developments?
August 15 : Newsletter to members N°32
September 23 : An evening in memory of Sophie was organized by our Irish friends in the town of Schull on September 23, 2022.
Entitled "Remember Me", the evening was dedicated to Sophie and featured a concert, message readings and poems.
The evening had a great impact in Ireland, showing the public's interest in this still unsolved case in that country.
October 31 : Newsletter to members n°33
December 12 : Fifteenth ASSOPH Annual General Meeting
2023
In this frozen time of waiting and absence of results, ASSOPH continues to make itself present, to call upon the authorities, to meet with its lawyers James MacGuill (in Dublin) and Michael O’Kane (in London), with officials from the Garda and the "serious crime review team," assisting them in their investigation. ASSOPH also maintains close relations with its numerous and motivated Irish supporters.
July 13 An Irish deputy, Michael Collins, has called on the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin, explicitly asking him to intervene with the Garda to expedite the investigation and bring the murderer, currently living undisturbed and at liberty, to justice in his country. Mr. Martin responds, "…the government cannot intervene with the Garda Síochána in the ongoing cold case review. It would be inappropriate for the government to get involved in a criminal investigation. This is an operational matter for the Garda Síochána, and that must be our position."
August 31 : Newsletter to members n°34
September 10 : Article by John Kierans in the newspaper Irish Examiner, Ian Bailey fights for life after second heart attack in a week
October 3 : Article by Senan Molony in the newspaper The Irish Independent, New witness provides sketch of scratches on Bailey in 1996
October 10 : Article by Senan Molony in the newspaper New technology leads to fresh focus on DNA in du Plantier Case
October 22 : Article by John Kierans in the newspaper The Irish Sun, ON THE MEND Ian Bailey recovering after electric shock treatment on heart – as doctors hail operation success
October 30 Article by John Kierans in the newspaper The Irish Sun, CASE CONFIDENCE : Major killer update in Sophie Toscan du Plantier cold case probe as new justice vow made amid fresh evidence
December 18 : Sixteenth ASSOPH Annual General Meeting
December 23 : Article by Ann Mooney in the newspaper The Irish Sun, EVIDENCE PLAN Fresh hope of Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder breakthrough as cops use Boston Strangler case tactic to help nail killer
Article by Barry Roche in the newspaper Press Release , Ian Bailey challenged to explain how he knew Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s movements before her murder
2024
January 21 : The ASSOPH learns of the death of Ian Bailey. Article by Barry Roche in the newspaper Press Release : January 22 2024
Press Review on the Death of Ian Bailey
January 23: Press Release from the Assoph following the death of Ian Bailey Press Release
February 24: Article and podcast by Cassandra Voices, ‘Devil in the Hills’: Jim Sheridan on the Sophie Toscan du Plantier Murder
March 5 : Article by the blog westcorkmurderersfriends : WEST CORK MURDERER IAN BAILEY, Jim Sheridan, Ian Bailey and Cassandra Voices
March 13: Article by J. P. Holzer on the website Cassandra Voices, Applying Hitchens’s Razor: Jim Sheridan and Ian Bailey
March 15 : Newsletter to members n°35
April 22: Article by Laura Lynott in the newspaper Irish Independent, Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s cousin labels Jim Sheridan’s theory on Ian Bailey ‘conspiracy madness’
September 12: Release of Senan Molony's book Sophie: The Final Verdict, ce lancement a donné lieu à des déclarations fortes du vice premier ministre Micheál Martin, premier ministre lors de la visite d’Emmanuel Macron en août 2022, avec qui il avait évoqué l’affaire en conférence de presse. Notre association doit donc continuer ses actions pour qu’enfin on atteigne la vérité sur ce qui s’est passé.
September 27: Article by Olivia Kelleher in the newspaper BreakingNews, Toscan Du Plantier’s brother agrees that Ian Bailey should have been prosecuted for murder
November 1 : Newsletter to members n°36
