Ian Bailey 'got very upset' in final interview and spoke extensively about God

Ian Bailey told of his faith in God in his last interview before he died and said: “I hope there is a God and they exist.”

The main suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case didn’t believe that God was a he or a she but had turned to prayer in the last few years of his life.

He did the interview at Bantry Hospital after his second heart attack with a member of award-winning director Jim Sheridan’s documentary team. It will be featured in the next episode of the Sky series, Murder at the Cottage.

READ MORE – Ian Bailey’s final days in squalor – sleeping on pallets surrounded by bizarre carvings

The 66-year-old Englishman spoke about his fear of dying and how his life was destroyed by Sophie’s murder.

But he did not make any last-minute confession and protested his innocence right up to the end.

He knew he didn’t have long to live because of his deteriorating heart condition and wanted to set the record straight.

A source said: “He spoke about God and if such a thing exists. He believed it did and that he would be going to a better place.

Ian Bailey.

“Ian had gotten very religious and philosophical in the last few years of his life, especially since he started living alone.

“He was desperate for his name to be cleared before he died and was very frustrated at the slow pace of the Garda cold case review into the murder.

“He got very upset when he discovered that detectives were not looking at any other new suspects in the inquiry and the focus was very much on him, instead of pursuing new leads. The interview lasts 40 to 50 minutes and is riveting.”

Meanwhile the Gardai are continuing with the cold case review despite Ian Bailey’s death.

The new probe is expected to run for at least another year before a file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A Garda source said: “This is a long-term inquiry and every avenue of investigation is being looked at. They are not going to shut the file and stop everything just because Ian Bailey has died.

“My understanding is no other suspects have emerged so far apart from him. But who knows? That could change and people may come forward with new evidence.

“Sophie’s family deserves to know the truth one way or the other.”

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