Retired Garda John Wilson has said up until February 2012, Ian Bailey and his partner Jules Thomas were under a level of Garda surveillance 'reserved for active criminal offenders'.

He has told the High Court he checked the Garda Pulse system after allegations of Garda misconduct were raised in Mr Bailey's Supreme Court appeal against his extradition to France.

The former Garda said there were in the region of 150 incidents which include sightings of the former journalist and Ms Thomas having coffee at the English Market and shopping in Super Valu.

It is his belief that this level of scrutiny was organised at a very high level in An Garda Siochana.

He has told the jury, that in April 2012, while still a serving member of the Gardai, he made a complaint alleging malpractice in relation to the continued surveillance of Mr Bailey.

Mr Wilson, who retired last year, has said he never got a response.

Mr Wilson is the sixth witness to give evidence in Ian Bailey's action for damages against the State and Garda Commissioner.

Mr Bailey (57) with an address at The Prairie, Schull, Co Cork alleges Gardaí investigating the 1996 killing of Sophie Toscan du Plantier concocted evidence against him and wrongfully arrested him on suspicion of murder.

Earlier Schull shopkeeper Marie Farrell completed seven days of cross examination.

On the stand today she denied telling a former employee in a phone call that she would get a 'cut' from the millions Ian Bailey was in line to make from his court case.