The High Court has heard fresh and unexpected phone traffic has been unearthed as part of Ian Bailey's claim of malice against him by the gardai.

The former journalist who was a suspect in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder is suing the State for damages over its handling of the investigation.

Ian Bailey was questioned but never charged in connection with the killing of the French film producer at her holiday home in Schull, Co. Cork in December 1996.

More recently the 55-year-old successfully challenged a request for his extradition to France to face possible prosecution.

In this action he claims he was harassed, intimidated and abused by the State and its agents and that they engaged in a 'malicious abuse of the legal process'.

His lawyers today indicated the case will take a considerable period of time when it comes to trial. They are looking for a hearing date in the first half of next year.

In the meantime, the State is handing over documents that Ian Bailey says will support his claim.

The former journalist was in court as barrister Paul O'Higgins SC, for the State, indicated 16,000 documents have been reviewed as part of the discovery process.

Mr. O'Higgins acknowledged there had been delays but said more time would be required to deal with the discovery of fresh and unexpected material relating to phone traffic, which is in an old electronic format.

Mr. Justice John Hedigan has given the state an extra four months to unscramble the material due to the fact the technology is obsolete, old and fragile.