Ian Bailey has ‘fair idea who killed Sophie’ as he explains scratches on hands

The Englishman, who has long been linked to the case, spoke out after it emerged a pal of his ex-partner Jules Thomas had come forward and claimed he saw Bailey with scratches criss-crossed all over his hand in a bar in Schull on December 23, 1996 – the day the French filmmaker’s body was found

Ian Bailey said the scratches on his hands after Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered were from killing turkeys and insisted he never tried to hide them.

The Englishman, who has long been linked to the case, spoke out after it emerged a pal of his ex-partner Jules Thomas had come forward and claimed he saw Bailey with scratches criss-crossed all over his hand in a bar in Schull on December 23, 1996 – the day the French filmmaker’s body was found.

Roger Broke, who now lives in Italy, met with cold case gardai investigating the gruesome murder and described the marks he saw on Bailey’s hands.

He also drew a sketch of what he saw for them in Bantry in 2021. He had previously made a statement to police in the UK in 2014 and then contacted the Gardai a year later.

When asked what happened to him Ian Bailey said he had been killing turkeys the day before which Mr Brooke thought was strange, since people normally slaughter their turkey for Christmas a week before.

Sophie’s battered body was found on the driveway 100 yards from her house earlier that day.

Now Ian Bailey, who is back home in Bantry recovering from two heart attacks, said he knew Mr Brooke and he was an old friend of Jules Thomas.

He said he had never ever tried to hide the scratches on his hand around that time and said he got them from killing turkeys and cutting down a Christmas tree.

Bailey said: “Everyone saw I had scratches on my hand, the local Garda Superintendent when I went up to the crime scene to cover the story, another reporter and photographer with me. It was no big deal. They were there for all to see.

“The Gardai later took away tree branches and brambles from the house to match them with my DNA.

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“I am extremely unwell at the moment and am still seriously ill. I can hardly walk 10 yards with my heart and I do not need this stress.

“This leak is an attempt by the investigating team to put the spotlight back on me.

“This cold case is not a cold case review at all but a new attempt by Gardai to try and frame Bailey for Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s murder.

“It is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The police tried twice before and the DPP said no, there is no evidence.

“They haven’t even contacted me yet. I am currently in the process of writing a letter to the Garda Commissioner to complain. Remember it was me who asked for the cold case review in the first place.”

He later added: “I have a bloody fair idea who killed Sophie, and it was not me. The killer I believe is still out there walking around West Cork but the Gardai don’t want to know. They just want to pin the murder on Ian Bailey.”