A jury has been sworn in for Ian Bailey's action for damages against the State and the garda authorities for wrongful arrest.
The 57 year old former journalist who lives in Schull, Co Cork claims gardai manufactured evidence against him as part of the investigation into the murder of French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork in December 1996.
It took around 40 minutes to select a jury of 8 men and 4 women – plenty of challenges from both sides and a warning from Mr Justice John Hedigan that anyone with garda connections should make that known before being sworn in to hear the case.
That's because of the serious nature of the allegations against gardai by Ian Bailey who claims he was wrongfully arrested on suspiscion of the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork.
The court heard he claims Gardaí conspired to manufacture evidence against him and told the community that he was guilty.
As a consequence of this allegedly oppressive conduct he claims he's suffered emotional and psychological damage and that his life has been a misery for 18 years.
The case has been called on for around 6 weeks.
