O’Hara murder accused remanded until next month

The man charged with the murder of childcare worker Elaine O’Hara was further remanded in custody today after a brief court hearing.

Graham Dwyer, originally from Cork but with an address at Kerrymount Close, Foxrock, Dublin 18, appeared before Cloverhill District Court this morning.

The 41-year-old architect and father of two is charged with murdering Ms O’Hara (37) in Co Dublin on August 22nd, 2012.

His arrest last week followed the discovery of her remains in the Dublin mountains last month, over a year after her disappearance.

Dressed in a black polo neck top and dark trousers, Mr Dwyer remained silent during his court appearance and did not address the court during the proceedings.

Mr Dwyer, who has not yet formally entered a plea, nodded as Judge Gráinne Malone further remanded him in custody with his consent, to appear again at the same court on November 20th next.

During the hearing, which was attended by members of Mr Dwyer's family, his solicitor Jonathan Dunphy informed the judge he had not yet made an application for bail to the High Court on behalf of his client.

However, Mr Dunphy indicated he was likely to do so the week after next.

Mr Dunphy also sought a “section 56 order”, which relates to obtaining copies of the Garda custody record and video-taped interviews in the case.

The State did not object but the judge commented that is normally done at a later stage in proceedings.

Mr Dunphy, who has requested free legal aid be granted to Mr Dwyer, said a “statement of means” on behalf of his client had been furnished to the court.

However, Judge Malone deferred her ruling on the matter, saying she wanted to consider Mr Dwyer’s statement of means.

She said that if she decides to grant legal aid it will be backdated.

Mr Dunphy said his client was “anxious that the matter would be addressed on the next date”.

After his court appearance, Mr Dwyer was led back to Cloverhill Prison, which adjoins the court.

Ms O’Hara had been missing for more than a year before her decomposed remains were found in undergrowth by a woman walking her dog on September 13th on Killakee mountain, Rathfarnham.

A bag containing a number of items belonging to Ms O’Hara, as well as her mobile phone and keys, were discovered in a reservoir near Roundwood, Co Wicklow, at different times in the days before and after her body was found.