Courts / Dublin / Report

Woman recoiled after coming across "oily latex" in Elaine O'Hara's apartment

Date
2015-01-26
Stage
Trial
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

During the Central Criminal Court trial of 42‑year‑old Graham Dwyer, the partner of Elaine O'Hara's father, Sheila Hawkins, testified that she "recoiled" when she found oily latex in O'Hara's apartment on August 24, 2012. Hawkins, a psychologist, described how she and O'Hara's father were searching for a passport and that she had put her hand into a straw basket on a shelving unit, feeling an oily rubber substance that she identified as black latex. She did not inform O'Hara's father at the time because he was "very distressed." Hawkins also discussed her knowledge of O'Hara's interest in BDSM, which she said came from a conversation with O'Hara's father, and her recollection of O'Hara confiding that she had had sex for the first time in 2011. The trial, which is scheduled to last up to eight weeks, continues before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men. Graham Dwyer pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman recoiled after coming across "oily latex" in Elaine O'Hara's apartment. Charges or matters: murdering the 36-year-old Dubliner hours after she was discharged from hospital, where she had been a psychiatric patient; murdering the childcare worker on that date at Killakee, Rathfarnham. Procedural stage: trial

When:

Why: "I recoiled because my hand felt this oily rubber substance," she said. CNI source report

Case subjects

Graham Dwyer

Accused

Charges: murdering the 36-year-old Dubliner hours after she was discharged from hospital, where she had been a psychiatric patient; murdering the childcare worker on that date at Killakee, Rathfarnham (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Court Venue
  • Central Criminal Court
Residence

Topics

Stage Trial

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request