'He was trying to become well': Ian Bailey solicitor 'very upset' to hear of his death

IAN Bailey, the 66-year-old chief suspect for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, has collapsed and died in Bantry, Co Cork.

Mr Bailey was renting accommodation in the west Cork town. 

It is understood that he suffered a heart attack. Paramedics worked on the Englishman for twenty minutes before he was pronounced dead. He had fallen to the ground on Barrack Street in the town this afternoon. He has suffered from ill health in recent months and had been hospitalised for heart attacks.

His solicitor Frank Buttimer, who has known Mr Bailey since March 1997, said he was “very upset” to hear of his death.

“I knew Ian was very unwell, we were in communication in the past five days, but I didn’t know he was terminally unwell,” he told the PA news agency.

“He had a very severe heart condition, a very bad heart condition, and had cardiac events prior to Christmas.

“He was a candidate for surgical intervention but wasn’t well enough, so he was trying to become well enough.”

Mr Bailey was on two occasions detained by Gardaí for questioning in relation to the 1996 murder of the 39-year-old French national Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

He has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder of the film producer who had a holiday home in West Cork. Sophie enjoyed spending time in her solitary rural retreat.

Mr Bailey, who is a poet and former journalist, was convicted in absentia after a trial in France four years ago. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

However, officials in France have been unable to extradite the Britsh man to Paris to serve the sentence handed down by the courts.

The body of Ms Du Plantier was discovered outside her remote holiday home in Toormore on the outskirts of Schull in West Cork on December 23rd 1996.

Mr Bailey, who is law graduate, said he had been effectively "bonfired" through being associated with the heinous crime.

Mr Bailey insisted that he had sympathy for the family of the late mother of one.

"I know I cannot do anything about their belief that I am responsible. They have always had my full sympathies. I have expressed that.

People are entitled to believe what they want to believe. We can't change what people are going to believe."