The parents of murdered Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier were "very surprised" to learn that key witness Marie Farrell is now claiming her statement implicating Ian Bailey was false and inaccurate, the French consul in Cork, Francoise Letellier, said yesterday.
Marguerite and Georges Bouniol have made no decision yet on whether to pursue their civil action over the death of their daughter following Mrs Farrell's withdrawal of her statement.
Ms Letellier - who has accompanied the Bouniols on their visits to Goleen every year for Ms Toscan du Plantier's anniversary mass and is in regular contact with the family - spoke to them at their home outside Paris after it was learned that Mrs Farrell had withdrawn her statement.
"I spoke to them on Friday and, like everybody else, they were very surprised by the news, but they have made no decision yet regarding their civil action and they've been advised not to comment," said Ms Letellier.
The Bouniols initiated legal proceedings in December 2002 against Ian Bailey of the Prairie, Liscaha, Schull, for civil damages over the wrongful death of their daughter, Sophie Toscan du Plantier, at her holiday home at Toormore, Schull, in 1996.
Ms Toscan du Plantier's badly beaten body was found at Toormore, Schull, on the morning of December 23rd, 1996.
Gardaí arrested Mr Bailey in February 1997 and in March 1998 for questioning about the killing, but he was released without charge and has continually protested his innocence.
In September 2003 the Bouniols served a statement of claim against Mr Bailey whose legal team later sought particulars of the claim. In December 2004 they sought to have the legal action against Mr Bailey struck out.
However, the High Court refused to strike out the action by the Bouniols, who are joined in the claim by Ms Toscan du Plantier's son, Pierre Louis Baudey-Vignard.
Meanwhile, The Irish Times has learned that the Director of Public Prosecutions has completed his review of the transcripts of a libel action brought by Mr Bailey and has concluded that there isn't sufficient evidence to warrant a charge.
The DPP had sought a transcript of the libel action against eight newspapers in December 2003 in which several witnesses said Mr Bailey told them he had killed Ms Toscan du Plantier.
However, the DPP's office has indicated that it would review that decision in the event of information coming to light in further civil actions, such as Mr Bailey's libel appeal against the newspapers or the Bouniols' civil action against Mr Bailey.