Graham Dwyer trial: Hunting knife, flick knife found in offices

Gardaí found a hunting knife and a flick knife in the offices where murder-accused Graham Dwyer worked. They were directed to their location by Mr Dwyer, a jury at the Central Criminal Court was told.

The Buck Special knife, with black handle, was in a leather scabbard. Along with a black-handled flick knife, it was contained in a magazine box on a shelf in a filing area in the basement of A&D Wejchert Architects on Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.

Mr Dwyer (42), of Kerrymount Close in Foxrock, is charged with murdering Dublin childcare worker Elaine O'Hara (36) on August 22nd, 2012. He has pleaded not guilty.

Ms O’Hara’s remains were found in forestry on Kilakee Mountain, Rathfarnham, on September 13th, 2013.

Det Sgt Peter Woods said he received a phone call and a fax from Jonathan Dunphy, Mr Dwyer’s solicitor, on February 17th, 2014. The fax contained a hand-drawn map of the basement of A&D Wejchert, along with a note saying where two items could be found.

Map

He said the information was provided voluntarily. Det Sgt Woods went to the company with two other officers and they found the two knives.

The Buck Special knife was “in very, very good condition” and was “very clean”, he said. Its scabbard contained “small scratches”.

“This is the way we found it, in the leather scabbard,” Det Sgt Woods said. He said gardaí had purchased a replica of the knife before it was found and it came in a presentation box.

He said the smaller knife was a flick knife and could be locked in position and opened by pressing a button.The two knives were shown to the jury.

Remy Farrell SC, for the defence, said his client had sent the map to gardaí after it became apparent from the book of evidence, served in January 2014, that they were attaching considerable significance to the order of the Buck Special knife on the internet.

“The fact it was delivered on August 21st, 2012, was hugely significant,” Det Sgt Woods responded.

He agreed the fact that there was “no sign of it” was also deemed “hugely significant”.

“So, in February 2014, you receive communication showing where the item is,” Mr Farrell said.

Tattoo

Also giving evidence, Michael Fenlon of Active Hunting Ireland, a sports shop and website, said his business received an order from Mr Dwyer on August 17th, 2012, via the website. The item ordered was a Buck Special 119 knife for €95, to be delivered to Mr Dwyer at A&D Wejchert.

In a section available for customer comment, a note said “please mark as private and confidential, regards, Graham”. Another document from a courier company showed delivery at 11.28am on August 21st, 2012.

Christof Hylinski, a partner at Hydraulic Tattoos, in Dublin told the court his company sent an email on April 28th, 2011, to irl3543@gmail.com. It said there was “a separate area” for tattoos “like this one”.

Asked by Seán Guerin SC, to explain, he said there was a private area in the shop “when it is a job on a private area of the body”.

Mr Guerin showed a membership card belonging to Mr Dwyer for Roundwood Model Aeronautical Club and asked Mr Hylinski to confirm the number on the card was the same as the number contained in the email address. Mr Justice Tony Hunt intervened to say that wasn’t Mr Hylinski’s role.

In earlier evidence on Friday, the court was told a spade found in the back garden of the home of Mr Dwyer was similar to one found by gardaí at Kilakee Mountain, where Ms O’Hara’s remains were found.

Garda Chris Boylan, who took part in searches at the location on September 20th and 21st, 2013, told the jury he found a “shovel” in a ditch at a wooded area.

Mr Farrell showed Garda Boylan the “shovel” he found and told him it was in fact a spade because it had a rectangular blade and a shovel had a triangular blade.

He showed the officer a photograph of a spade in the back garden of Mr Dwyer’s and pointed out its features. He said the two were “virtually identical”.

“It looks quite similar,” Garda Boylan responded.

Work records

Siobhán McKevitt, accountant and manager at A&D Wejchert, also gave evidence. She listed documents she gave gardaí during a search of the offices on October 17th, 2013.

These included emails from Mr Dwyer about wage cuts and a bicycle purchased under the bike-to-work scheme for €629 in May 28th, 2011.

There were also telephone records, time sheets, visa bills, minutes of meetings, and expenses claimed by Mr Dwyer for trips to Poland.

Ms McKevitt said the daily attendance record would not record “all times out of the office”, but reception would make a separate note of it.

Ms McKevitt is due to continue her evidence on Monday.