Councillor raises suspect under ‘sympathy’ votes

IN what was an unusual move at this week’s meeting of Cork County Council, Passage West Cllr Marcia D’Alton mentioned Ian Bailey under the ‘votes of sympathy’ section of the meeting.

Votes of sympathy are normally reserved for members of employees of the Council, dignitaries of Church or State, or members of the old IRA and Cumann na mBan.

Cllr Marcia D’Alton.

Cllr D’Alton said she felt it was appropriate that the chamber would remark on the death of Ian Bailey, who was the chief suspect in the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

‘I also know that one of the fundamental principles of criminal law and constitutional guarantee is that every person accused of a criminal offence is innocent until proven guilty, even if they’re charged,’ said Cllr D’Alton.

‘There was never enough evidence to prove Ian Bailey’s guilt in the murder of Sophie yet he lives 30 years of his life under the shadow of guilt, largely because of what was described by the DPP as a prejudiced investigation on the part of the gardaí.

‘We obviously have no idea who is responsible for the heinous murder of Sophie but should there be any chance that our State caused this man to live out 30 years of his life under the shadow of suspicion, then I think it is appropriate that we recognise that this is a terrible tragedy.’

North Cork Cllr Frank Roche (Ind), supported Cllr D’Alton and said it was very sad that Ian Bailey had spent 30 years of his life under the shadow of being a criminal.

In a radio interview later, Cllr D’Alton said that it was not a ‘vote of sympathy’ as such, but a way of marking Mr Bailey’s death and there was no other method on the Council agenda of doing so.