Graham Dwyer trial told text message said: ‘no one was ever caught for Raonaid Murray’

Trial hears text read: ‘I will give you a baby in return for play with fake knife’

More than 2,600 text messages were sourced from Elaine O’Hara’s iPhone and from an 083 number allegedly used by Graham Dwyer.
More than 2,600 text messages were sourced from Elaine O’Hara’s iPhone and from an 083 number allegedly used by Graham Dwyer.

A message Elaine O'Hara allegedly sent to Graham Dwyer in August 2011 said "that's what you want more than anything else, you want to kill me", a jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard.

The response was “No, that’s not true. I want to stab someone not hang someone”.

Evidence of text messages allegedly exchanged between Mr Dwyer and Ms O’Hara is continuing this morning.

Raonaid Murray (17) who was found dead less than 500 metres from her home in Glenageary, Co Dublin, in September 1999
Raonaid Murray (17) who was found dead less than 500 metres from her home in Glenageary, Co Dublin, in September 1999

The more than 2,600 text messages were sourced from Ms O'Hara's iPhone and from an 083 number allegedly used by Mr Dwyer, as well as from two Nokia phones recovered from the Vartry Reservoir.

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Before evidence began, Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the court that all going to schedule, the prosecution would finish its case on Thursday.

He said Friday and Monday would be set aside for legal argument and the defence would present its case on Wednesday.

Mr Justice Hunt told the jury of seven men and five women that closing arguments from the prosecution would be held on Thursday and Friday of next week and he would give his directions on Monday.

The rest of that week would be left to the jury’s deliberations, which could be as long or as short as they liked.

Mr 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.

Sean Guerin SC, for the prosecution, took crime and policing analyst Sarah Skedd through the text messages.

The messages included a discussion about having a baby. On August 19th, the 083 user says “I will give you a baby in return for play with fake knife for life and you must promise me you’ll let me kill you when you want to die”.

Ms O’Hara later responds “changed my mind about having baby”, she says it wouldn’t be fair as she was not right in her mind. She also says she thinks it would be better in a relationship, but that will be hard to get now that she is marked.

The 083 number responds that she had hundreds of marks when she met him.

“It’s your body that would put people off,” he says. He suggests she should be grateful to have a master, a baby and play.

She says she wants a full time relationship and he says her she will never get one. She is old, fat and a smoker and disobedient.

She says she just wants a normal relationship. “I’ve had enough of BDSM, it’s not worth it”. She tells him to “go f**k yourself”.

“You should stick with me, best you’ll have,” he responds.

Later he says “I could help you change most of what’s wrong with you”.

She also says she knows she had promised to help him with his plan to stab a woman but she is “just not ready for it yet”.

The 083 number responds with disappointment. “I can’t do it on my own, guess it will have to remain fantasy”.

She advises him about avoiding getting DNA on the victim. And he asks if he can have sex with her after to avoid leaving DNA on the dead woman.

“Can we play tomorrow?”

“I’m not stable enough, sorry,” Ms O’Hara says.

“Want me to hang you? Just kidding.”

There is further discussion about killing someone in August. On the 25th, the 083 user says "no one was ever caught for Raonaid Murray or the homeless woman in the Phoenix Park."

Raonaid Murray (17) was found dead in the early hours of Saturday, September 4th, 1999 less than 500 metres from her home in Glenageary, Co Dublin. She had been out socialising with a friend in Scott’s pub in Dun Laoghaire.

On September 6th, Ms O’Hara says she is trying to distance herself.

“I’m being used; I don’t want to be a bit of shit on the side,” she says. She says she wants to be the only one even if it is “vanilla”.

He responds he understands her decision and “offers of play, baby and ending your life always there”.

Mr Guerin said there was a break in the messages until October when the 083 user says he tried “a few dry runs” but people came along. He also offers part time play “no blood, I promise”.

Ms O’Hara responds that she has heard that one before. He asks her to skip college and “get tied up and raped”.

He also asks for the new code to her apartment block at Belarmine Plaza. She says she does not know it. He asks her to think about her “terms”, which could include “no new knife”, “no anal”.

Ms O’Hara responds on October 12th, and says no.

“I need a bit of loving now, you can be very rough even when you don’t try to be,” she says. She also says she knows it will lead to cutting; “you can’t help yourself”, she says.

Later he asks her about wanting a baby.

“Clock is ticking,” he says. She says she can’t afford a baby and he suggests he pay her for play.

“I’m not a prostitute, I’m a person, I have dignity,” she says.

“Not when you’re chained up you don’t,” he answers. He says he could keep her locked up “like Fritzl”.

On November 9th and 10th, Ms O’Hara asks for her keys back. The 083 user says he can’t find them, but he might look harder if she was waiting, naked and chained.

“I’ll do that if you leave your wife,” she responds. Later she tells him she is not good looking enough for him. She also says he does not want to get his wife “involved”.

“You want to keep that side of you a secret,” he says.

On November 11th, she suggests they try again until Christmas, that they talk first, not as master and slave, to get what they both want. He agrees.

Text messages on the two phones ceased between November 31st 2011 and March 13th 2012, Mr Guerin said. Ms Skedd agreed. He said on November 31st, contact began between the two Nokia phones recovered in the reservoir.

“They were purchased on the previous day,” Mr Guerin said. Ms Skedd agreed.

Mr Guerin continued with messages between the 083 phone and the iPhone after they recommenced in March 2012.

A message on March 23rd, from the 083 user says “free most days, would love to play”. Ms O’Hara responds she is not sure, and doesn’t want the hassle. The 083 user says they are good at BDSM and should treat themselves to exciting pay.

“Leash in the woods was fun,” he says.

On March 27th, Ms O’Hara says she doesn’t want play, she wants a baby. The 083 user says he will give her one, but wants bondage while doing it and she doesn’t look for maintenance. He suggests he sees her next week; “pick a day”. She says she needs more than half an hour sometimes.

She also tells him she’s already lost a baby. “It would have been born last February (2012),” she says, and tells him it wasn’t his.

On April 3rd, Ms O’Hara tells him she is very angry and has dreamt of killing him.

“You dreamt of killing me? With a knife I hope. LoL,” he responds.

The trial continues.

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland is a crime writer and former Irish Times journalist