The family of murdered French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier have accepted a settlement in a damages claim after the French state agreed to pay them a sum of €150,000.
According to Alain Spilliaert, lawyer for Ms Toscan du Plantier’s parents,Georges and Marguerite Bouniol, the offer made by the French government has lifted the spirits of everyone involved in the campaign to get justice for the murdered woman.
“Georges and Marguerite feel better since this decision by the French court to indemnify them – under French law, when you are the victim of a crime, even though the case is not over and judged, you can sue to get damages from the French state,” Mr Spilliaert said.
"In such circumstances, the French state would be ordered to pay damages and although the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, took place in Ireland, we lodged proceedings in a civil action before the court of Paris."
Civil claim
Mr Spilliaert said he had lodged civil claims on behalf of Ms Toscan du Plantier’s parents, her brothers, Bertrand and Guy, her son, Pierre Louis Baudey, and her uncle, Jean Pierre Gazeau.
“The French state responded by making an offer and we obtained €150,000 for the family which was awarded although the crime was committed in Ireland – the French state recognised the suffering that the family have endured over the past 17 years.”
“It’ s a little bit of relief for the family and of course it provides funds for the campaign group, the Association for the Truth about the Murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, to continue with their work to get justice for Sophie and her family,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Spilliaert welcomed the recent decision by Mr Justice John Hedigan in the High Court in Dublin to grant discovery to former journalist Ian Bailey for various Garda documents and files in his civil action against the Irish State.
Mr Bailey was twice arrested and questioned by gardaí about the murder of Ms Toscan du Plantier at her holiday home in Schull in west Cork but has always denied any involvement in her death.
Both Mr Bailey and his partner, Jules Thomas, of Liscaha, Schull, Co Cork, who was also arrested twice for questioning by gardaí, are taking civil actions against the State for wrongful arrest in relation to the death of Ms Toscan du Plantier in December 1996.
Mr Spilliaert said he believed Mr Justice Hedigan’s ruling, ordering the State to hand over various Garda documents in the matter to Mr Bailey’s legal team, was a good development as it would allow gardaí an opportunity to put certain documents forward.
“Sooner or later there will be a civil trial in Ireland where the gardaí can offer their views and the State will seek to justify the arrest of Mr Bailey and we believe that this could be a good thing for the family.
“We hope this whole case will go to trial – at least then the gardaí would be able to express their opinion and state there are documents which contradict the DPP’s review in relation to Mr Bailey and hopefully we will get to hear and see those documents.”
