Ian Bailey’s appeal to the Supreme Court against his extradition to France has been put back to January 13th.
After the emergence of fresh evidence, Mr Bailey’s legal team is seeking to have his case brought back before the High Court.
Mr Bailey (53) is wanted for questioning by an investigating judge in France in connection with the murder of Ms Toscan du Plantier, a 39-year-old French filmmaker whose body was discovered near her holiday home in Schull, Co Cork, on December 23rd, 1996.
Mr Bailey has always denied any involvement in the murder.
Recently released court documents reveal a solicitor in the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) office was critical of the gardaí's handling of the inquiry the filmmaker's death.
Papers claim a state solicitor was pressed by three senior gardai after Mr Bailey’s second arrest and release during the investigation in January 1998 that the DPP should give a direction to charge.
The solicitor further alleged he was approached separately by one of the three
officers and asked to use his friendship with then justice minister John O’Donoghue to ensure the DPP recommended a charge against Mr Bailey.
In October, Eamon Barnes, a former DPP, drew the office’s attention to a 2001 review of the case by a state solicitor.
In an email, the investigation was described as flawed and prejudiced while the alleged attempt by a senior garda to press for a prosecution as grossly improper.
In March this year, the High Court ordered Mr Bailey be extradited to France where authorities want to question him about the filmmarker's death.
PA