A key witness in the Garda investigation into the murder of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier has claimed that statements she made to gardaí implicating the main suspect in the case were false and incorrect.
Marie Farrell (42) had been a witness for newspapers defending themselves against a libel action taken by English journalist Ian Bailey who claimed he was defamed by the papers linking him to the murder of Ms Toscan du Plantier in Schull in west Cork.
Ms Farrell told Bailey's libel action in December 2003 that she had seen him at Kealfadda Bridge outside Schull at 3am on December 23rd, 1996, the night Ms Toscan du Plantier was murdered approximately a mile away at her holiday home at Toormore, Schull.
Ms Farrell had been subpoenaed by the newspapers after they obtained access to the Garda file into the murder and obtained statements that she had made to gardaí alleging that she saw Bailey at Kealfadda Bridge and later recognised him on the street in Schull.
But Ms Farrell contacted Bailey's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, in March this year and over the course of several interviews with him, she has stated that statements she made to gardaí implicating Bailey were incorrect.
Mr Buttimer last night confirmed to The Irish Times that he had interviewed Ms Farrell on a number of occasions and that she confirmed to him that aspects of statements that she made to gardaí about Bailey were inaccurate.
"She confirmed to me that those aspects of her Garda statements which implicate Mr Ian Bailey in respect of any involvement in this dreadful crime are false and inaccurate," said Mr Buttimer, adding that the approach by Ms Farrell was unsolicited by him or his client.
"As a consequence of the information that she has made available to me, I have sent a letter to the Minister for Justice and a letter to the Garda Commissioner, seeking an inquiry into the matters which she raised with me," Mr Buttimer told The Irish Times.
The Irish Times has learned that Mr Buttimer also advised Ms Farrell to obtain her own independent legal advice on the consequences of making the statements that she had made to him, and he referred her to solicitor, Donal Daly.
Contacted by The Irish Times last night, Ms Farrell referred any queries to Mr Daly and Mr Daly confirmed that he subsequently contacted Mr Buttimer and sought copies of Ms Farrell's statements and checked with her that they were accurate.
"This is a matter which has burdened Marie Farrell and her family for a considerable period of time - she has come forward now because she has been under severe stress in respect of this matter for many years," Mr Daly told The Irish Times.
Last night, Supt Kevin Donohoe of the Garda Press Office said the murder is still under investigation.
