Ian Bailey RIP - threadbans in OP

Granted yes at time of year and it also being a Monday , last few business days before Christmas. But it might suggest that if nothing was happening or just noticed unusual car/activity or she recognised the car maybe she then became inclined to go down gate.

Agree it might be neighbours and or not. But other alternative is the attacker drove th car then up laneway also.

We are aware Lyons residence are saying they were up at 8. They haven't indicated of any deliveries or other activities of that nature or if any neighbours were confirmed be in the other house...

If visitor was known to Sophie then she knew the car..and or seen them coming onto lane..

Killer likely came by car at that hour amybe to collect something (from the pumphouse?). The wine boittle was most likely thrown from a speeding car as they got away and probably believed it would shatter and nver be found.

Psychologist here. Terms like narcissist and psychopath are too often thrown out by people who are unqualified to diagnose. First rule of thumb, even when fully qualified: you cannot diagnose someone you’ve never met. Extensive structured interviews and use of validated psychometric tests are essential, as well as in person observation. Seems like everyone’s an armchair expert these days.

Good points. And thanks for the input.

Whilst I, (as a lyman) could never see the justification for classing Bailey as a psycopath, it seems to me that his constant attention seeking is suggestive of narcissism ?

On the other hand you could say his chosen career relied on the public and getting a name for himself - reporters don’t tend to be shrinking violets - they need to be putting themselves out there- and when his career as a reporter in IrelAnd finished before it began, he relied on one of the few things he could- his notoriety- in order to make a few quid, be it selling poetry t shirts or rudey items

Had he the skills of an artist I’d say he would have sold a lot of paintings as there would have been a certain level of grotesque demand to own a “Bailey”

There was in interview in the Sunday Independent last weekend with a retired UK forensics officer Bridget Chappuis:

The pattern of blood staining on the block does not support the view that it was used as a weapon. Rather, blood pattern analysis tends to indicate that it was in situ when she was bleeding and that her body was leaning or lying against it, causing voids on the surface which are free of blood.

But it doesn't account for how the clothes were under the block.

More here - favours a morning time for the murder and use of a vehicle.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121721090/#Comment_121721090

The block \ pumphouse is a conundrum... seems like the obvious thing to have done was to ask Alfie \ Shirley whether the block was in situ at the gate for a period. Without that answer we are left guessing.

The pump house was damaged, clear photos showing that. How and why is unclear. If it happened before the murder, can't imagine Sophie would be pleased about that, and it seems like the kinda thing she would have had Josephine Hellen sort if she was aware of it.

The Gardai not sealing the scene of the crime properly didn't help in this regard imv

No gate is safe with sheep, hence the sheep wire which is there to prevent lambs getting through the lower rungs. Sheep are notorious scratchers too, particularly if they haven`t been treated for scab. It would only have taken one incident of a local coming to a gate that was half opened across the laneway because sheep had been scratching against it, to grab a block to help secure it either open or closed.

Tear the roof up off a pump house 20 yards away for a block to keep a gate open. A bit of rage against the gate you think?

Narcissists are notorious parasites, leeching off everyone, whereas Bailey was quite industrious: cutting trees, killing turkeys, gardening, selling stuff in the market, carving willies.

The pictures that were up (from Reddit) tell me that it was an amateur who 'roofed' that shed. A good gale would easily disrupt it as would a bit of strength. Certainly didn't need to be a big hulking male to lift it. Also, doesn't seem to be much mortar involved.

Anything’s possible - a car horn though would alert all people- not just the person you’d wish to attract attention by using the car horn.

Here's her statement;

Regarding lack of forensic

In Tipperary in 1997 a man was murdered. 

Beaten on head probably with an iron bar. Seen alive 2.30 am, found dead 7.30am

Harbison was on time. No forensic evidence was found to link the man acquitted. Weapon was never found 

I don't know who killed Sophie but lack of forensic doesn't seem unusual.