Ian Bailey's extradition hearing to get underway
Ian Bailey’s extradition hearing is due to get underway this morning.
He was arrested on foot of an arrest warrant issued by authorities in France where he is wanted to stand trial for Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s murder.
Two days before Christmas 1996, the body of Sophie Toscan du Plantier was found near her holiday home in Schull in west Cork.
A post mortem revealed she had been beaten to death.
Ian Bailey was arrested the following year and again in 1998 but has never been charged with anything.
In 2012, the Supreme Court rejected France’s first attempt to have him extradited on the ground there was no actual intention to try him.
That has now changed, and the High Court endorsed a European Arrest Warrant in April.
There was no objection to bail at the time and Mr Bailey has not been required to attend a number of procedural hearings since.
He is due to return to court this morning for the opening of what is expected to be a two-day hearing on whether he should be surrendered to the French.
