Ian Bailey Libel action continues
Ian Bailey is suing eight newspapers arising out of their coverage of the murder of Sophie Toscan de Plantier two days before Christmas 1996.
Both sides will make closing submissions tomorrow.
Earlier, a west Cork shopkeeper, Marie Farrell, said that she saw Ian Bailey walking along the road about a mile from Sophie Toscan du Plantier's home in the early hours of 23 December, 1996.
Madame du Plantier's body was found close to her holiday home about eight hours later.
However, Mr Bailey has denied leaving his home that night and, after telling Ms Farrell he was being set up by detectives, he approached her in her shop and told her he did not kill Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
She said that he told her he knew things about her and asked her to contact his solicitor and change her statement.
Marie Farrell said that she was terrified. Ian Bailey was standing on a chair with his hands outstretched, she said. She looked up and thought to herself that he could kill her.
She told the court Ian Bailey subsequently made cut-throat gestures to her and put his finger up to his temple and after asking her once to cash a cheque for about £25, which he got from the Examiner newspaper, she claims he said: 'this is what her death is worth to me - there's no money in bumping people off'.
Bill Fuller, another defence witness, has described confronting Ian Bailey about rumours of his involvement in the killing prior to Mr Bailey's arrest.
He said that Mr Bailey told him: 'You killed Sophie. You fancied her and went up there to see what you could get. She ran off screaming and it stirred something in the back of your head. You went too far and had to finish her off.'
Mr Fuller claims he told Mr Bailey 'that sounds like something you would say'. He says Mr Bailey replied: 'Funny you should say that. That's how I met Jules Thomas.'
