‘Graham’s phone number’ found on Elaine O’Hara laptop, Dwyer trial told

A diary entry found by gardaí on a laptop owned by Elaine O’Hara included an entry for “Graham’s phone number”, a jury at the Central Criminal Court has been told.

Det Garda Eimear Nevin, of the garda computer crime investigation unit, said in September 2013, she examined a forensic copy of the hard drive on Ms O’Hara’s apple laptop, given to gardaí by her family.

Using software, she extracted calendar entries and took a screen shot of these. The images were shown to the jury.

Seán Guerin SC, for the prosecution, highlighted an entry for June 30th, 2011. It said “Graham’s phone number” followed by an 083 number and a separate line said “school finished for summer”.

Graham Dwyer (42), an architect from Kerrymount Close in Foxrock, is charged with murdering childcare worker Ms 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.

Also giving evidence on Thursday, Damien Lannigan, clinical nurse manager at St Edmundsbury’s Hospital in Lucan, a psychiatric unit where Ms O’Hara was a patient, said she told him she was involved in an “S&M” lifestyle.

He said she told him she arranged to meet people over the internet. He also said she told him “years ago” about “soliciting someone to harm her and kill her”.

He agreed under cross-examination that he told gardaí “I was aware she took part in strange sexual practices with strangers”.

Mr Lannigan said during her stay at the hospital from July 12th to August 22nd, 2012, she could “come and go as she pleased”.

She had leave on the weekends of July 28th, August 3rd, August 10th, and August 17th. Ms O’Hara had a single room, he said, and was visited by her father.

Christopher McConnell, an acceptance and commitment therapist, told the court he saw Ms O’Hara in February, March, April and May 2012.

He said his method was part of a new wave of cognitive behavioural therapy and involved finding a way to allow her to improve her living. He discussed things about her life outside the thoughts and feelings that were difficult for her. She wasn’t suicidal, Mr McConnell said, but she was frightened by suicidal thoughts.

He said her work with children at the Montessori was very important to her, as was her family and her father.

The case continues before a jury on Monday.