"I believe that there are still persons who have information on Sophie’s murder and who haven’t yet spoken to Gardaí."

The Gardaí have issued a new appeal for information in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier investigation. Ms Toscan du Plantier was found dead at a laneway near her holiday home in Schull, Co. Cork on 23 December, 1996. She had been beaten to death. In a fresh appeal for information, the Gardaí have urged those who may have seen Sophie when she arrived into Ireland, and on her journey to Cork to get in touch. Ms Toscan du Plantier flew into Dublin Airport on 20 December 1996 and she got a connecting flight to Cork Airport, landing at 2:30 pm. She then hired a Ford Fiesta (registration 96-C-14459) and drove to the Mizen Peninsula. At a press conference today, Superintendent Joe Moore of Bantry Garda Station said: "I want to speak with any person who was in the Toormore area of Co Cork between 20 December and 23 December 1996, in particular anyone who was driving on the R591 or R592. "If you haven't spoken to Gardaí already, please make contact, we need to talk to you. "Any person who has knowledge of this period of time must come to An Garda Síochána and let us know exactly what happened at the home and grounds where Sophie lived during those hours on those dates. "I believe that there are still persons who have information on Sophie’s murder and who haven’t yet spoken to gardaí – or may have spoken to Gardaí but were not in a position to tell everything that they know – I am appealing to those persons, 26 years later, to please come forward and speak to the investigation team." Those with information have been told to contact Bantry Garda Station at 027-20860, the Garda Confidential line (1800 666 111), or any Garda station.