IAN BAILEY claims a threat was made on his life after gardaí received a rather mysterious answer phone message.
The former journalist, who is the chief suspect in the murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier, told the Irish Sun that gardaí received an anonymous message warning them that Bailey's life was in danger.
The 64-year-old said he was stunned to be approached by two uniformed officers as he set up his stall at Schull market in Co. Cork on Sunday.
He claims that gardaí informed him that an attempt on his life could be imminent.
"The guards told me that a message had been left on the answerphone in Schull Garda Station last night that said 'Ian Bailey's life would be in danger at the market today'," Bailey said.
Three uniformed officers apparently then patrolled the market, where Bailey sells his poetry, to ensure the murder suspect's safety.
"I've never seen a Garda presence like this here before. I'm just going to try and go about my business as best I can," he added.
Manchester-born Bailey was arrested twice in the months following Sophie's murder in December 1996, but was never charged.
Bailey has always denied any involvement in Sophie's killing, despite a significant amount of evidence suggesting otherwise.
The unsolved murder case has been thrust back into the spotlight in recent week following the release of two documentary series about it, on Sky and on Netflix.
Bailey says he's been swamped by tourists wanting to see him in the flesh ever since their release.
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