Bailey's partner claims she is being intimidated by locals

Ms Jules Thomas, the partner of Mr Ian Bailey, claimed yesterday she has been at the centre of a local campaign of intimidation since the libel case concluded last month

The Welsh-born artist, who lives a few miles from Schull, Co Cork, said there was a "Ku Klux Klan" atmosphere in the area and that she had received a number of threatening phone calls at her house.

She also said she found a petrol-filled bottle, which appeared to have been thrown onto her property, and a dead rat, which may have been placed through her letterbox.

Ms Thomas added that Mr Bailey was staying away from the house for "safety" reasons.

Gardaí yesterday confirmed they were investigating two incidents regarding a noose apparently placed on a tree in their garden and some broken glass found on the gravel driveway.

However, a spokesman for the gardaí declined to comment on whether they were investigating incidents which Ms Thomas said had occurred more recently.

Speaking on RTÉ's Liveline programme, Ms Thomas said that while she felt frightened by the events, she would not be intimidated by the "posse" responsible for the activity.

"It's my property and it's upsetting my life . . . I don't think people should take the law into their own hands like this. There's been a horrible sort of silent atmosphere of Ku Klux Klan, you know, of people going around with really big torches and flashing them in my face and stuff."

Ms Thomas said she had received a number of threatening phonecalls and she had now ceased answering the phone.

"They're saying things like, 'I'll get you now' and 'it's getting nearer', you know, just really, really intimidating.

Ms Thomas also said strong torchlights had being shone at the property at around 9.45 p.m. a few nights ago.

"There were lights flashing in the window and there were these big powerful torches, not your average handtorch, it was coming through the curtains . . .

So I went out to have a look. You can call me foolish, but I'm not going to be intimidated by light, it was just to see. That was it, really. I just called the guards immediately. They came out 20 minutes later and that was it. They weren't there then." She declined to say where Mr Bailey was staying, but confirmed that she was in contact with him.

Ms Thomas said she was in the house on her own. Her three daughters were based in Cork City, Roscommon and Thailand, she said.

"The reason I'm speaking to you is that there is a form of protection letting people out there know what's going on," she told Mr Joe Duffy on RTÉ yesterday.

However, neighbours in the Toormore area, where Ms Thomas lives, have rejected claims of a campaign of intimidation.

One neighbour, Mr David Perry, said he has been accused of "spying" on Mr Bailey and Ms Thomas. On one occasion he said he had merely been walking in a local field, with his dog, along with a pair of binoculars he said he used for bird-watching.