Ireland Case No. 21610Drink-driving (failing to provide adequate breath test) · Co. Cork · 1 Apr 2023
English man arrested for drink-driving in west Cork
Ian Bailey, a 64-year-old English man, was stopped by Gardaí from Bandon in the vicinity of Ballydehob, west Cork, on Sunday night (reported as 31 March in one account) on his way home from a trad-fest. He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after failing three times to provide an adequate breath sample, and was taken to Bantry Garda Station where he gave a urine sample. Bailey denies the offence, claims the breath test machine was defective, and told friends he had only a pint of beer and a glass of wine. He is awaiting the urine results and faces a fine, a driving ban, and penalty points if convicted.
- Reported3 Apr
- Arrested3 Apr
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Ian Bailey, 64, an English man, was stopped by Gardaí from Bandon in the vicinity of Ballydehob, west Cork, on Sunday night on his way home from a trad-fest.
- He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after failing three times to provide an adequate breath sample.
- Gardaí accused him of driving erratically, which he denied.
- Where
- He was taken to Bantry Garda Station where he provided a urine sample.
- When
- The stop was made on Sunday night, though one article reports the date as 31 March 2023.
- Charges
- He was arrested for failing to provide an adequate breath test.
- Investigation
- He is awaiting the results of the urine sample, expected within two weeks.
- Sentence
- He faces a fine, a driving ban, and penalty points deduction if convicted.
- Other details
- He is described as an English journalist and poet and the so-called person of interest in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder.
- He claimed the breath test machine was defective and told friends he had only a pint of beer and a glass of wine.
- He was informed he would have to leave his rented one-bedroom apartment in Bantry at the beginning of May.
- He has so far not been interviewed by the team of ten detectives in the fresh murder probe.
30 statements extracted from the articles
- whatIan Bailey was stopped by officers on Sunday night on his way home from a trad-fest in Ballydehob, west Cork. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIan Bailey was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving (corkbeo.ie)
- whatGardaí accused him of driving erratically, which he denied (corkbeo.ie)
- whatHe failed three times to give an adequate breath sample (corkbeo.ie)
- whereHe was taken to Bantry Garda Station where he provided a urine sample. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe officers who stopped him are from Bandon Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe stop was made in the vicinity of Ballydehob, west Cork (corkbeo.ie)
- whereHe was taken to Bantry Garda Station (corkbeo.ie)
- whereThe officers who arrested him are from Bandon Garda Station (corkbeo.ie)
- whenHe was stopped on Sunday night on his way home from a trad-fest (corkbeo.ie)
- investigationHe will have to wait two weeks for the urine sample results. (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
- investigationGardaí are engaged in a full-blown cold case review of the murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe has so far not been interviewed by the team of 10 detectives involved in the fresh murder probe. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe was asked to give a urine sample which he did (corkbeo.ie)
- investigationHe has so far not been interviewed by the team of ten detectives in the fresh murder probe (corkbeo.ie)
- chargeHe was arrested for failing to provide an adequate breath test (corkbeo.ie)
- sentenceHe faces a fine, a driving ban and penalty points deduction if convicted. (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe is 64 years old. (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe told friends he only had a pint of beer and a glass of wine over the course of the day. (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe said he couldn't comment on the incident but had spoken to his lawyers. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe believed the urine sample will be negative. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was informed he will have to leave his rented one bedroom apartment in Bantry at the beginning of May. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe received a notice to quit from his landlord who is selling the property. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had been living in the area for the past year since he split up with his long time partner, the artiste, Jules Thomas. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherJules Thomas confirmed she would not be taking him back into her home outside Schull. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is described as an English journalist and poet. (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe was arrested twice over the Christmas 1996 killing but never charged. (irishmirror.ie, corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe claimed the breath test machine was defective (corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe will be evicted from his rented one bedroom apartment in Bantry at the beginning of May (corkbeo.ie)
- otherHe had been living in the area for the past year since splitting up with his long-time partner, the artist Jules Thomas (corkbeo.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 3 Apr2023Ian Bailey arrested on suspicion of Drunk Driving in West Cork
Separate drink-driving incident from the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case; article provides context on Bailey's status as person of interest in that cold case and his eviction from Bantry.
suspect, Ian Bailey, 64, male, English, named at arrest, non-irishIan Bailey - 3 Apr2023Ian Bailey denies drink driving as he awaits results of urine test
Reports that Ian Bailey was stopped for drink driving in west Cork on 31 March 2023, provided a urine sample at Bantry Garda Station, and denies the offence. Also notes he is facing eviction from his Bantry apartment at the beginning of May.
suspect, Ian Bailey, 64, male, English, named, non-irishIan Bailey