In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, Judge Tony Hunt reminded the jury that the case concerns only whether Dwyer is guilty of murder, not any other misconduct. He noted that Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old architect, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara in Killakee, Rathfarnham, on 22 August 2012, shortly after she left a mental health hospital. Dwyer, a father of three from Cork, pleaded not guilty. The judge discussed videos the jury saw of Dwyer stabbing O'Hara and two other women during separate sexual encounters, stressing that the footage was shown to allow assessment of the relationship, not to vilify the accused. He emphasized that the prosecution must prove all elements beyond a reasonable doubt and outlined the timeline of events, including a text message sent on the day of the murder and the discovery of O'Hara's skeletal remains in September 2013.
In the 41st day of the Central Criminal Court murder trial of Graham Dwyer, defence counsel Remy Farrell SC urged jurors to apply the presumption of innocence despite the prosecution's portrayal of Dwyer as a sadistic pervert. Farrell read excerpts from a document titled "Killing Darci" found on Dwyer's hard drive, describing fantasies of murder, and argued that the prosecution's evidence was largely speculative and emotionally charged. He highlighted the lack of forensic evidence linking Dwyer to the stabbing of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, noting the pathologist's finding of no bony injuries. Farrell warned that jurors might feel pressured to convict and urged them to focus on the factual evidence presented. The prosecution, led by Seán Guerin SC, maintained that text messages and other documents constituted a plan to murder O'Hara, but the defence contested the reliability of these sources. The trial continued with the judge instructing the jury on their duties.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, prosecutor Seán Guerin SC described Graham Dwyer, 42, as a sadistic and brutal pervert who planned the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Guerin highlighted text messages from Dwyer that outlined a plan to kill O'Hara, including choosing an isolated location on private land, using a hunting knife, and staging the scene to look like suicide. He noted Dwyer's delivery of a hunting knife to his office the day before the murder and the alleged use of untraceable phones. Guerin urged the jury to accept the texts as evidence of intent, arguing they showed Dwyer's desire to kill. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the 41st day of the hearing.
At the Central Criminal Court on 19 March 2015, the prosecution closing address in the murder trial of Graham Dwyer outlined its case against the 42-year-old architect. Dwyer, from Foxrock in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Elaine O'Hara, a 36-year-old childcare worker, at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22 August 2012. Prosecution Counsel Seán Guerin SC told the jury that the relationship was predatory in nature, with Dwyer deliberately selecting a vulnerable victim. The prosecution's case rested on telephone evidence linking disputed phones recovered from a reservoir to Dwyer, text message analysis reflecting his known movements and activities, and documentary evidence of violent sexual fantasies. Mr Guerin submitted that Dwyer intended to murder Ms O'Hara for sexual gratification hours after her discharge from psychiatric care, and that he had deliberately arranged circumstances to suggest suicide. The trial continued at the Central Criminal Court.
Two convicted murderers, Anthony Craig (66) and Michael Anthony Balmer (62), are appealing a High Court order requiring their extradition to serve life sentences in the UK. Both men had previously served the punitive parts of their sentences and were subject to continued detention due to the risk they posed to the public. Craig, with an address in Rathcoole, South Dublin, was convicted and jailed for life for the murder of a man in a park in Blackburn on November 3, 1973. He escaped from prison after serving 28 years and was arrested in Ireland in 2013. Balmer, with a last address in Cornwall, England, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984 for the murder of a woman in Devon on July 28, 1983. He came to Ireland in 2012 following his conditional release on license, which was later revoked. The appeal is based on the argument that their extradition would result in immediate preventative detention, which is contrary to Irish law and the Irish Constitution. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment and will deliver its decision on May 21. The matter remains under appeal and has not been finalised.
Anthony Craig, 66, and Michael Anthony Balmer, 62, both convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in the UK, have appealed High Court orders that would have had them extradited to the UK to serve the remainder of their sentences. Craig was convicted in 1973 for a murder in Blackburn, served 28 years, escaped to Ireland, and was arrested in 2013 on an extradition warrant. Balmer was convicted in 1984 for a murder in Devon, released on license in 2011, had his license revoked in 2012, and was arrested in Cork. The appeals argue that extradition would subject them to preventative detention under English law, which they claim violates Irish constitutional principles and Article 40.4.2. The cases remain before the Court of Appeal, with counsel for both men presenting their arguments and the Director of Public Prosecutions yet to reply.
The Special Criminal Court adjourned the trial of Kevin Power, a 38‑year‑old from Passage West, charged with membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Power had been granted bail in May 2013 and was due to stand trial on 18 March 2015. The State, represented by Vincent Heneghan BL, applied for an adjournment, a request that Paul Coffey SC, Power's counsel, acknowledged and consented to. Judge Paul Butler set the next hearing for 14 April and noted the court would address a principle raised by the State regarding the adjournment.
The defence closed its case on the 39th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial. Dwyer, 42, is charged with killing 36‑year‑old childcare worker Ms O'Hara on 22 August 2012, hours after she left a mental health hospital. He is a Cork‑born architect and father of three, living in Foxrock. The defence presented three witnesses. Mary Crosbie recalled seeing a woman crying in Shanganagh Cemetery on the evening of 22 August, describing the woman's appearance and clothing. She said she later reported the sight to the Gardaí after reading a newspaper article. Sheep farmer Richard O'Connor and John Donohue testified about their farms near Shankill and Roundwood Flying Clubs, noting Gardaí inquiries about dead sheep in 2011. The trial heard a text from Dwyer to Ms O'Hara in 2011 describing a dead sheep and a desire to stab it.
In the 37th day of the murder trial of architect Graham Dwyer, the prosecution closed its case at the Central Criminal Court. Detective Sergeant Peter Woods, a State witness, testified that he had never encountered a case with such extensive media leaks. He explained that he had not given Dwyer's solicitor additional information at the time of the arrest in October 2013, and that any extra details were provided only after subsequent interviews. Woods described the media presence at the Foxrock search and noted that the information released to the press had come from Gardaí, including updates from the Irish Times and the Independent. He also recounted that Chief Superintendent Diarmuid O'Sullivan and another detective sergeant had visited Dwyer's bins in the early hours of late September to collect a sample for DNA comparison. The trial concluded with the jury instructed to return on Wednesday morning.
Graham Dwyer, a 42-year-old architect from Foxrock, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22nd August 2012. During his trial at the Central Criminal Court, Detective Sergeant Peter Woods gave evidence on the 36th day of proceedings, describing police interviews conducted after Mr Dwyer's arrest in October 2013. Mr Dwyer admitted to gardai that he had a relationship with Ms O'Hara, a 36-year-old childcare worker, and acknowledged watching erotic horror material the night before his arrest. He denied killing anyone. The court heard evidence of video footage showing Ms O'Hara becoming unresponsive after a plastic bag was placed over her head. Mr Dwyer was charged with murder hours after Ms O'Hara's discharge from a mental health hospital. The State contends the killing occurred during a sexual act. Ms O'Hara's remains were discovered at Killakee in September 2013, though the cause of death could not be determined.
Graham Dwyer, 42, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, was interviewed by Gardaí after his arrest. He repeatedly denied any involvement, stating he was "not a killer; I'm not a saint" and expressed confusion over why he was being questioned. During the first interview at Blackrock Garda Station, he asked how he was connected to the case and questioned the relevance of forensic evidence. In a second interview, when shown a photograph of O'Hara, he reiterated his innocence and expressed fear of being portrayed in the media. Gardaí explained that the case would be tried by a judge and jury and urged him to consult his solicitor. The matter was scheduled for trial before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of five women and seven men.
Elaine O'Hara, a 36‑year‑old childcare worker, was last seen alive on 22 August 2012 after being discharged from a mental health hospital. The State alleges that Graham Dwyer, 42, texted her from a "Master" phone to the "Slave" phone, threatening to stab her and demanding she assist in a murder. The trial heard over 2,600 text messages recovered from two Nokia phones found in a reservoir and from O'Hara's iPhone. The messages depict Dwyer's intimidation, claims of sexual coercion, and instructions for a planned stabbing. O'Hara's remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, and the cause of death could not be determined. The case is being heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the jury instructed on the content of the texts and the alleged murder.
During the 35th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, evidence was presented showing that Dwyer, aged 42, had threatened Elaine O'Hara with violence and claimed he could make her pregnant if she helped him stab someone. O'Hara, a 36‑year‑old childcare worker, had asked Dwyer to stop stabbing her, fearing he might kill her. Dwyer's texts, recovered by Crime and Policing Analyst Sarah Skedd, included threats of stabbing, claims that no one had ever been caught for similar murders, and offers of a child if she cooperated. He also discussed using untraceable phones and a house in Willow Park. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, continues with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet reached.
During the 33rd day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the Central Criminal Court heard over a thousand text messages that the State claims were sent by Dwyer to Elaine O'Hara in 2011. The messages, recovered from various devices, include threats of killing O'Hara in the woods, requests for her to find a victim, and detailed instructions on how to stab and kill. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental health hospital. The prosecution, led by Seán Guerin SC, presented the texts as evidence of Dwyer's intent to kill for sexual gratification. The trial is before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the hearing stage.
In the 33rd day of the murder trial of Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown a series of videos and text messages that the prosecution claims demonstrate the defendant's violent intent. The videos, seized from Dwyer's hard drives, include clips of a man stabbing himself, speaking about chloroform, and a scene where a man appears to stab a bound woman during sex. The prosecution also presented over 2,600 text messages recovered from various devices, many of which contain Dwyer's admissions of an "urge to rape, stab and kill" and discussions with Elaine O'Hara about potential violence. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The State maintains that Dwyer's actions were driven by sexual gratification. The case continues.
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, the jury was shown a series of videos on the 33rd day of proceedings. The State presented footage that allegedly depicts a man stabbing women during sex, with blood visible in some clips. The jurors also viewed a self‑made video of Dwyer stabbing himself and another in which he discusses using chloroform on himself. Prior to viewing, the jurors received a warning about the graphic nature of the evidence. Dwyer, aged 42, is charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, who was last seen in Shanganagh on 22 August 2012 and whose skeletal remains were found at Killakee in September 2013. The trial is proceeding before Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The State alleges the stabbing was for sexual gratification. The case continues.
In the second day of Mr Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the jury was warned about graphic evidence. Mr Justice Tony Hunt cautioned them before a document titled "Jenny's First Rape" was read. The document, found on a hard drive seized from Dwyer's home, described a planned rape in Newcastle and included a video clip. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. He pleaded not guilty. Detective Garda Brid Wallace testified that she found a folder with a five‑second video and a five‑page document, E.doc, created on 31 May 2005 by Dwyer's firm A&D Wejchert Architects. The prosecution read the document, which detailed the author's intent to rape a young woman, describing the use of a knife, chloroform and a hunting knife. The trial continues before a jury of five women and seven men. The article does not state any verdict or outcome.
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, Judge Tony Hunt warned the public not to tweet any statements made while the jury was absent, citing restrictions on reporting such discussions until the trial concludes. He noted that a recent tweet by a member of the public had breached these rules, and, though the tweeter was unaware of the regulations, the judge cautioned that a repeat offence could result in jail for contempt. The warning was delivered in the absence of the jury, but both prosecution and defence consented to its reporting. Mr Dwyer, 42, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, who was last seen in Shanganagh, South Dublin, on 22 August 2012 and whose skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013. The State alleges Dwyer stabbed her for sexual gratification. The trial proceeds before a jury of five women and seven men.
During the 31st day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, the court heard that a document titled *Killing Darci*, detailing the rape and killing of a young American woman, was found on Dwyer's hard drive. The file, saved as 4Darci.doc in a folder called DD within Sub, was created on 2 March 2011 and edited for 89 minutes. Dwyer, 42, is charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. The prosecution read excerpts from the first‑person document, which described fantasising about killing from adolescence, planning a murder, and describing the act in graphic detail. A witness, Darci Day, testified that she had met Dwyer on an adult website and had discussed ending her life with him. The trial also examined phone records linking Dwyer's work phone to the "Master" phone used on the day of O'Hara's death. The jury heard all evidence before the trial continues.
Carl Feighery, 32, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing death after killing 77-year-old Rose Douglas in Finglas, Dublin 11, in January 2013. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the sentencing until May 5 to allow for a Probation Service report to determine Feighery's suitability for community service. The judge indicated that the driving did not justify a custodial sentence, describing the loss of focus as a human frailty rather than an aggravating circumstance like drink driving or excessive speed. Feighery was remanded on bail and disqualified from driving for five years. The court heard that Feighery had zero alcohol in his blood and was not speeding. The Douglas family, represented by Dermot Douglas, described the devastating impact of their mother's death, noting she was a community volunteer and church minister. Feighery, an electrician from Ashbourne, County Meath, expressed remorse and accepted full responsibility. He has one minor previous conviction and a 2007 drink-driving offense. The matter remains adjourned pending the probation report.
During the 31st day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, analyst Sarah Skedd testified that there was no evidence contradicting the suggestion that the same person used both Dwyer's work phone and the 'Master' phone found in Vartry Reservoir. Skedd compared usage patterns of the two Nokia mobiles, noting that each phone only had the other's number saved. She observed that when both phones were active simultaneously, they used cell sites in the same area, though on different networks. For example, on 21 December 2011, both phones used a Fitzwilliam Street cell site, and later that day they both used sites near Howth Harbour and Dwyer's workplace. The court had already heard that Dwyer was charged with murdering 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012, and that the prosecution alleged he stabbed her for sexual gratification.
In a tragic incident on 9 January 2013, 77‑year‑old Rose Douglas was struck by a silver Peugeot while crossing the North Road in Finglas, Dublin. The driver, 32‑year‑old electrician Carl Feighery, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He was found sober, not speeding, and had a prior drink‑driving conviction. The court heard a victim impact statement from Douglas's son Dermot, detailing her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, great‑grandmother, church minister, and hospice volunteer. Feighery remained at the scene, offered a voluntary statement, and expressed remorse. The sentencing hearing was postponed to allow the judge to consider the case overnight. The family expressed relief that Douglas was not at fault and hoped Feighery might engage in charity work in her memory. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, was examined by a US witness, Darci Day, who testified that Dwyer had confessed to fantasies of killing O'Hara if she wanted him to. Day, from Maine, said Dwyer had also described a fantasy of stabbing a woman to death during sex. She recounted that she had communicated with Dwyer via email and text, discussing violent and sexual fantasies, including rape and murder. Day also described her own history of depression, suicidal thoughts, and online interactions with Dwyer, noting that she had never met him in person. The trial, which had been proceeding for 29 days, was scheduled to resume with a jury of five women and seven men. The case remains at the trial stage, with no verdict yet announced.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard evidence from a retired detective sergeant regarding the 1997 murders of two women in Grangegorman, Dublin. Mark Nash, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan on 6 and 7 March 1997. Detective Sergeant David Lynch testified about questioning another suspect, Martin Stafford, in relation to the killings. During cross-examination, the defence counsel raised questions about the adequacy of the investigation and whether relevant information about Stafford's movements had been properly pursued. The court also heard evidence concerning Nash's alleged voluntary disclosure to gardaí in Galway on 17 August 1997 regarding crimes committed in Dublin five months earlier. Justice Carroll Moran adjourned proceedings to address a legal issue that emerged during testimony, with the jury directed to return on Wednesday.
During the 29th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, evidence was presented that two Nokia phones found in Vartry Reservoir were used almost exclusively to contact each other. The phones had no other numbers saved and were last used on the day of the alleged murder. Their contacts were labeled MSTR and SLV, the consonants of "Master" and "Slave." The phones were purchased together on 30 November 2011 and were unregistered. Between 1 December 2011 and 22 August 2012, 1,369 texts and 11 calls were exchanged, all unanswered or to voicemail. Five unanswered calls from Ms O'Hara's iPhone were also recorded. The trial, before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury, continues with Mr Dwyer (42) charged with murdering 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012. The State alleges he stabbed her for sexual gratification. The case remains in the Central Criminal Court.
During the 28th day of the murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, evidence was presented that Graham Dwyer, aged 42, sent 847 text messages to Elaine O'Hara between January 2008 and December 2009, including 53 on a single day. Garda Paul Kane testified that he analysed Dwyer's work‑phone bills and confirmed the volume of messages, though the content remained unknown. A call from Dwyer to O'Hara's message minder was also identified. Additionally, a crime analyst, Sarah Skedd, used toll‑booth and mobile‑tower records to trace a mobile phone and a vehicle, concluding that Dwyer owned the car that travelled from Galway to Dublin on 4 July 2012. The trial also heard from a friend of O'Hara, who described her personal struggles and relationships, and noted that O'Hara was last seen on the evening of 22 August 2012, after being discharged from a mental‑health hospital.
Jonathan Chubb, a 35‑year‑old former Dublin letting‑agent employee, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service instead of a prison term for stealing €8,660 from tenants across the country between July and December 2012. He pleaded guilty to 11 charges of stealing rent money from properties managed by Grant Thornton Receivers. Chubb claimed he had intended to repay the money and had taken it to ease his own financial difficulties. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that the crime was a form of white‑collar theft and that Chubb had been found eligible for community service by the Probation Service. Chubb must complete the hours within 12 months. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small BL and defended by James Dwyer BL, who highlighted Chubb's prior financial hardship following the economic crash.
The Central Criminal Court jury heard technical evidence on the 27th day of the trial of Graham Dwyer, who is charged with murdering Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22nd August 2012. Mr Dwyer, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Witnesses including telecommunications engineers provided detailed mobile phone records and data covering periods before and after the alleged offence. The court also heard from a woman who had engaged Mr Dwyer's architectural services in County Galway in 2009, and from witnesses who placed him at various locations during July 2012. A Ballyshannon hotel proprietor testified to his movements that month. The State's case is that the killing occurred hours after Ms O'Hara's discharge from a mental health facility. Her remains were discovered at Killakee in September 2013. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
In the 27th day of Graham Dwyer's trial, forensic evidence showed his semen and Elaine O'Hara's blood on her mattress, with DNA profiles matching Dwyer in three stains and O'Hara in two. Blood on the mattress and a bean‑bag cover also matched O'Hara. No semen was found on a black dress or inside a gas mask, and a rope from the apartment contained mixed DNA from two people. A spade near O'Hara's remains had no blood or semen, though partial DNA from at least two people was detected. Paint on the spade did not chemically match paint from Dwyer's shed or fence. The trial also heard about mobile phone data and the last sighting of O'Hara on 22 August 2012, with her remains found in Killakee on 13 September 2013. The State alleges Dwyer stabbed O'Hara for sexual gratification.
In the Graham Dwyer trial, a forensic scientist presented evidence that the paint on a spade found near Elaine O'Hara's remains was not a chemical match to paint found in Dwyer's shed. The spade, which Dwyer's wife said she recognised as missing from their garden, was examined for paint, protector and a fence piece from Dwyer's garden. The scientist noted that the paint on the spade appeared as dried‑on droplets and that microscopic examination showed similarities to paint from Kerrymount Close, but chemical composition tests revealed differences, concluding the paints did not match. The evidence was delivered on the 25th day of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, with Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old father of three, charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental health hospital.
In a 2015 murder trial, the jury heard that Garda Sergeant Mark Nash had reservations about Dean Lyons, describing him as "a bit of a Walter Mitty." Lyons, who died before the trial, was the first person to admit to the 1997 double murder of Sylvia Shields (60) and Mary Callanan (61) at Orchard View in Grangegorman. He was charged in July 1997. The court considered evidence that a key belonging to Ann Mernagh was found in a garden near Orchard View, and that Lyons had thrown the key into a hedge on Rathdown Road, as stated in a July 26, 1997 statement. Lyons also admitted stealing £30 from under a carpet in the same building. The trial also discussed the involvement of Martin Stafford, who was investigated but ultimately excluded from the case. The proceedings remain ongoing. Mark Nash pleaded not guilty.
During the 25th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, his wife Gemma Dwyer testified that the spade found near Elaine O'Hara's remains was the same spade she had noticed missing from their garden. She described how the spade had been used to clear a neighbour's dog's droppings and had been absent during the summer of 2013, after which she had used a plastic spade. Dwyer also recalled receiving a letter from her husband in which he referred to Ms O'Hara as "that awful girl." She provided details of their life together, including their children, their home in Foxrock, and her husband's interests in model aeroplanes, cars, and computers. The court heard that the spade was a True Temper Homeowner model, forged in Cork before 2009, and that the Gardaí had not taken the spade to the search. The trial continued before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
Colin Joyce, 34, a former medical student at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, was sentenced to a three‑year suspended term after pleading guilty to ten counts of sending threatening letters to ten former tutors and staff between June and October 2012. The letters contained threats to release confidential patient information, demands for money, and claims of conspiracies against him. Joyce, who had left the college in 2007 due to mental health difficulties, also threatened to involve paramilitaries and to release sensitive data. He was found to have no prior convictions. The judge, citing Joyce's psychotic vulnerability and lack of insight, imposed a suspended sentence with a 12‑month probation period and a prohibition on approaching or contacting the RCSI or its staff. The court noted that no further harassment of RCSI staff had occurred. The case highlighted Joyce's history of mental health treatment and his attempts to complete his medical degree after repeated setbacks.
A murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard evidence on its 22nd day regarding Graham Dwyer, aged 42, who is charged with murdering Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on August 22nd, 2012. Mr Dwyer has pleaded not guilty. A former partner testified that Mr Dwyer had expressed a fantasy involving stabbing during sexual activity and subsequently brought a kitchen knife into their bedroom. She also described receiving a birthday card from Mr Dwyer in November 2014 containing references to forensic evidence and acquittal. Detective Garda Bríd Wallace of the Computer Crime Unit gave evidence regarding examination of Ms O'Hara's laptops, identifying documents concerning methods of killing and online searches for stabbing-related content and specific knives. Email communications and user profiles on websites associated with Mr Dwyer were also discussed. The trial continues before a jury of five women and seven men.
The trial of Graham Dwyer, who is alleged to have murdered Elaine O'Hara at Killakee, Rathfarnham on August 22nd, 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental health hospital, continued in the Central Criminal Court. Detective Garda Bríd Wallace of the Garda Siochana's Computer Crime Unit testified that she examined Ms O'Hara's Apple laptop as part of the investigation. She found a number of adult pornographic and BDSM movie files, as well as images of mutilated bodies from a website. Additionally, she discovered images of Ms O'Hara, some of which appeared to be self-taken and others taken by a different person. The detective also found documents on the laptop, including a book on serial violence, letters written by Ms O'Hara, and a document titled 'Outline of Slave' which detailed a fictional scenario involving slavery and domination. Another document, titled 'Private,' described a harrowing experience involving torture. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. Graham Dwyer has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Brid Wallace has not entered a plea.
During the 20th day of the murder trial of Graham Dwyer, evidence was presented that a text message reading "Must get fit for the murder" was backed up onto Elaine O'Hara's laptop. Computer crime experts examined O'Hara's Apple Mac, which had been synced with an iPhone, and extracted hundreds of SMS messages from a forensic copy of the hard drive. The messages were traced to a number 083 1103474, which was also found in O'Hara's calendar as "Graham's phone number." The jury saw screenshots of messages sent from this number, including one dated March 31 2011 that referenced a child's name, and another from November 15 2011. Additional testimony detailed the purchase of Nokia phones and mobile top‑ups linked to the number, but no definitive link to the murder was established in the court record. The trial proceeded before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
In a High Court hearing on 13 February 2015, the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) obtained a summary judgment for €16.2 million against Breifne O'Brien, a jailed businessman serving a seven‑year sentence for running a ponzi scheme. O'Brien, who represented himself, argued that he had no time to prepare and that a 2009 freezing order had prevented him from repaying loans. The judge, Mr Justice Kearns, rejected these defenses, stating they were "bald assertions" and that the freezing order did not impede repayment obligations. IBRC's claim also targeted O'Brien's father, Leo O'Brien, for unpaid loans from 2002, 2004, and 2006, which were used to purchase investment properties. The judgment was granted against O'Brien, while the claim against Leo O'Brien was adjourned to a later date. O'Brien had previously pleaded guilty to 14 counts of deception and theft involving about €8.5 million between 2003 and 2008.
During the Graham Dwyer trial, evidence was presented that Elaine O'Hara had experienced persistent, obsessional thoughts and fantasies from the age of 12. She had sought psychiatric care from 2007 until her disappearance in August 2012, when she was discharged from a mental health hospital. Dr Matt Murphy testified that O'Hara had been treated for borderline personality disorder, with a history of self‑harm and masochistic behaviour, and that she had been on a reduced dose of medication and receiving cognitive‑behavioural therapy in 2012. He reported that she had no indication of suicidality at discharge and was planning to return to work. The trial also heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee in September 2013, with the cause of death undetermined. The case remains in court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
The trial of Graham Dwyer at Dublin Central Criminal Court heard that on the night before Elaine O'Hara's murder, a nurse suggested she report a man who was repeatedly visiting her apartment. A friend warned O'Hara that she was "playing a dangerous game" by allowing an architect she met online to cut her. Witnesses gave evidence on the 15th day of the trial. Dwyer, 42, is charged with the murder of the 36‑year‑old childcare worker on 22 August 2012, hours after she was discharged from a mental‑health hospital. The court heard that O'Hara had been in a relationship with a man who liked to cut her, that she had not reported him to Gardaí because he had children, and that she had been physically hurt by him. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury. The unnamed man pleaded not guilty.
During the 14th day of Graham Dwyer's murder trial, Dr Matthew Corcoran, Elaine O'Hara's GP, testified that her depression had improved in the years before her death. He treated her mainly for asthma, noting she also had low Vitamin B12, mild diabetes and was on a cholesterol tablet. Corcoran confirmed he had not managed her depression but received discharge letters from her psychiatric hospital and sometimes renewed her prescriptions. He described her last visit on 10 July 2012, when she had sinusitis and mild respiratory symptoms, and prescribed antibiotics and steroids. Under cross‑examination, he acknowledged she had been admitted to hospital 14 times, some involving self‑harm, and that she had a history of depression and anxiety. He did not comment on the circumstances of her death, which remains undetermined. The trial continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
The trial of Graham Dwyer at the Central Criminal Court heard testimony from two men who met Elaine O'Hara on the alternative‑sexuality website alt.com. Robert Cullen Jones, who met O'Hara in March 2011, described their meetings in Dundrum Shopping Centre and at her apartment in Stepaside, noting her interest in bondage and the presence of handcuffs and vibrators. He also recalled receiving texts from her and later deleting her number. Seán Guerin SC presented items recovered from Vartry Reservoir, including a butt plug, and questioned the witness about her sexual fantasies. Mark Guerin, another alt.com user, recounted meetings with O'Hara in Blackrock and Stepaside, describing her restraints and references to self‑harm. The jury heard that O'Hara was last seen on 22 August 2012, her remains found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, with no cause of death determined. The case remains before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury.
In the 2015 trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, the jury was shown video footage of him flying a model aeroplane at a family day on 19 August 2012, three days before the alleged murder of childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. The footage was presented by John Flynn, a member of the Roundwood Model Aeronautical Club, who confirmed Dwyer's participation in a 2011 competition and his flying of a blue and black Extra 300 electric plane on 24 June 2012. Flynn also verified that no club event occurred on 22 August 2012. Additional witnesses from the Shankill Radio Flying Club discussed a dead sheep found near the club and Dwyer's use of various cars. The trial also examined Dwyer's work records, confirming he worked a normal eight‑hour day on 22 August 2012, and noted that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013.
The trial of Graham Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old architect, has heard that he worked a normal eight‑hour shift on the day he is alleged to have murdered childcare worker Elaine O'Hara. Testimony from Siobhán McKevitt, manager of the Baggot Street firm, confirmed that Dwyer's office records show he worked a standard 40‑hour week in the weeks ending 19 and 26 August 2012, and that he worked a normal eight‑hour day on 22 August 2012, the day of the alleged murder. No record indicated he left early that day. The jury also heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, with no cause of death determined, and that her glasses, keys, and other personal items were recovered from the Vartry Reservoir. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
During the 42‑day trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer at the Central Criminal Court, a detective presented a hand‑drawn map supplied by Dwyer's solicitor that led Gardaí to two knives in the basement of A&D Wejchert Architects. The map, titled 'Items of Interest', identified a shelf and two file boxes where the knives were found. One knife was a Buck Special 119, delivered to the office on 21 August 2012, and the other a flick knife. Dwyer is charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old childcare worker Elaine O'Hara, who disappeared on 22 August 2012 after leaving a mental health hospital. The trial also heard evidence of a spade found near O'Hara's remains and other items linked to Dwyer, but no verdict has yet been reached.
In the Graham Dwyer murder trial, the jury heard that a search of Dwyer's home and workplace on 17–18 October 2013 yielded 219 exhibits, including computers, hard drives, and financial documents. Among the seized items were letters from A&D Wejchert Architects informing Dwyer of pay cuts: a 10 % reduction from €87,350 to €78,615 in December 2010, and a further cut to €70,000 in June 2011. The prosecution argued the pay‑cut documents were relevant, while Dwyer's defence counsel noted no instruction to seek such documents. Other seized items included a jacket, a wetsuit, and a two‑drawer filing cabinet containing the pay‑cut letters. The trial also covered CCTV stills from Ms O'Hara's apartment block and the discovery of her skeletal remains at Killakee, but the focus of this hearing was the evidence of the pay cuts and the breadth of the search.
During the 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer's trial, the Gardaí presented CCTV stills from Elaine O'Hara's apartment block to his son, Sennan McShea, to determine if he could identify anyone in the footage. The stills depicted a man the prosecution had already identified as the architect accused of O'Hara's murder. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court, heard from Garda Paul Corcoran, who showed the stills to McShea on 18 October 2013, and from Garda Keith Gantly, who explained that only one camera was operational in the Shangannah area on the night of O'Hara's disappearance and that it was pointed in the wrong direction. The court also heard that O'Hara's skeletal remains were found at Killakee on 13 September 2013, with her glasses and keys recovered from a lake. The proceedings continue before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. The unnamed 42-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Central Criminal Court trial, a jury examined CCTV footage from Belarmine Plaza in Dublin that appears to show Graham Dwyer, aged 42, with Elaine O'Hara, aged 36, outside her home in the months before her murder. The footage, covering January to August 2012, includes several instances where Dwyer is seen entering and leaving the building, sometimes accompanied by O'Hara, and carrying a backpack that matches a bag recovered from Vartry Lake. The prosecution highlighted these clips to suggest a relationship between Dwyer and O'Hara. Dwyer is charged with O'Hara's murder, which occurred on 22 August 2012 after she was discharged from a psychiatric hospital. The trial also covered the discovery of her skeletal remains at Killakee and the subsequent search of Dwyer's home and workplace, where various items were seized. The case is proceeding before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.
The trial of Graham Dwyer, a 42‑year‑old architect, is in its tenth day at the Central Criminal Court. He is charged with the murder of 36‑year‑old Elaine O'Hara, who was found dead in the Dublin Mountains at Killakee, Rathfarnham on 22 August 2012, shortly after she was discharged from a psychiatric hospital. Dwyer, a Cork‑born father of two, lives on Kerrymount Close in Foxrock, Dublin, and has pleaded not guilty. The jury heard that a dog walker discovered O'Hara's remains on 13 September 2013, and that glasses found in a Wicklow lake matched her prescription. Gardaí testified that they searched Dwyer's home and office on 17 October 2013, seizing an Audi, a Land Rover, and various computers from his workplace on Lower Baggot Street. The accused was arrested by Detective Sergeant Peter Woods when he answered the front door shortly after 7 a.m. on the day of the arrest.
A dispute over the alleged failure by insurers to pay out approximately €1.6m on a policy of a premises in Bray Co Wicklow that went on fire is to be fast tracked by the Commercial Court. The action has been brought by Veema Ltd, The Drive Cypress Downs Dublin 6w, which owns the Everest Centre, Castle Street, Bray Co Wicklow, against Great Lakes Reinsurance UK plc, of Fenchurch London, and insurance broker The Underwriting Exchange Ltd, Tower Street London. Veema says it has suffered a serious loss as a result of the insurances firm's alleged failure to pay out. The case was entered into the fast-track Commercial Court list today by Mr Justice Brian McGovern on the application of lawyers for Veema Ltd. In its action, Veema says it was furnished with a contract of insurance in respect of the Everest Centre by the broker, which was underwritten by Great Lakes Reinsurance. The policy was obtained in 2012. It claims that under the terms of the policy the premises was covered in the event of it suffering damage from fire. On July 15 2014 the Everest Centre, which has a number of tenants, accidentally caught fire. Veema says the fire occurred when a storage unit at the rear of the Everest Centre was being cleared. It says that a third party was allowed enter the property started to remove steel shelving. While using an angle grinder it is believed the third party accidentally set fire to the property. Veema says it believes its policy of insurance covered the damage. In its action it claims the insurers are not paying out because of an alleged change in tenancy, and occupation and use of the property that constituted an alternation of risk. The underwriters say they were never informed of the changes, which amount to breaches of conditions of the policy. In its action, Veema claims Great Lakes Reinsurance UK has breached the insurance policy following its alleged failure and refusal to pay out the sums insured for. It is also claimed Great Lakes has neglected to confirm it is prepared to indemnify Veema in respect of any claims against it by tenants of the property. It further claims the broker had a duty to warn them with of any unusual terms or interpretations that would be applied to the policy by the underwriter. The failure to warn Veema of such unusual terms was negligent, it is claimed. In its action Veema seeks various orders including one directing the underwriters to pay the sum necessary to reimburse the damage suffered by it caused by the fire. That figure has been estimated at €1.6m. Veema also seeks declarations including one it is entitled to an indemnity in respect of claims made against by the tenants of the Everest Centre in respect of the fire that took place last July.
Frederick Thompson, 34, of Maryland, Dublin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for violent disorder. He pleaded guilty to his part in a brawl at Morrissey's Pub, Cork Street, on January 7, 2013. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a 20-month prison sentence, backdated to May 23, 2014, when Thompson was first remanded in custody. Thompson had been extradited from Amsterdam and has been in custody since. The court noted he has 29 previous convictions. A co-defendant, Anthony Harte, 24, of Inchicore, also pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Harte was previously given 220 hours of community service by Judge Mary Ellen Ring in lieu of a two-year prison term. A third man was acquitted of violent disorder by a jury. The judge stated Thompson likely started the row and threw a bottle. Prosecution evidence described a serious fracas where Thompson slapped the victim, took him into a headlock, and flung a beer bottle at him. Harte was seen kicking and punching the victim. Defense counsel noted the incident was sparked by slagging and that no one was seriously injured. Thompson offered apologies to the court and those present.