CCTV footage from the apartment complex where Elaine O'Hara lived shows the man accused of her murder at the building nine times between January and August 2012, a court heard on Tuesday.
The footage shown to a jury at the Central Criminal Court included one occasion, July 9th, where it was said to show Graham Dwyer and Ms O'Hara entering the apartment block at Belarmine Plaza, Stepaside, Dublin, together.
Shortly after 5pm, the two figures entered the lobby and got into the lift. The man was seen leaving the building alone 40 minutes later.
Other footage, on August 13th and 15th, showed Mr Dwyer carrying a backpack, the court heard. Alongside it, the jury was shown a photograph of a backpack, an exhibit in the trial, which was recovered from the Vartry reservoir in October 2013.
Mr Dwyer (42), an architect, of Kerrymount Close in Foxrock, Dublin, 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 at Kilakee Mountain, Rathfarnham, on September 13th, 2013.
Mr Dwyer and Ms O’Hara are said to be seen seen leaving and entering Belarmine separately between January and August 2012.
Det Sgt Kevin Duggan gave evidence that he and his team checked hours of CCTV footage from Ms O’Hara’s apartment block between January 18th and August 26th, 2012.
He said there were 10 cameras around the apartment complex, including in doorways and at car parks and the bin area. Two hard drives from the cameras were removed and examined by a team of gardaí.
Eight log books were filled with details of the footage.
The detective said he was able to identify Mr Dwyer on the tapes, having met him on October 18th, 2013.
The court was shown footage from a camera located at the lift in the lobby of the apartment block.
Leaving apartment
The first clip, dated January 21st, 2012, was said to show Ms O’Hara leaving the apartment block in the morning and Mr Dwyer entering it at 2.17pm, getting into the lift and leaving 10 minutes later.
On the evening of April 6th, the man is seen arriving and leaving a minute later.
On June 23rd, the footage was said to show Ms O’Hara arriving at 6.54pm and Mr Dwyer is seen entering at 7.04pm and leaving an hour and a quarter later.
Mr Dwyer is also seen entering the Belarmine complex a few minutes after Ms O’Hara on June 26th, at 5.36pm and leaving at 6.29pm, the court heard.
On July 9th, Ms O’Hara is seen leaving the building at 8.36am and returning at 3.33pm. She leaves the building again less than 15 minutes later, after checking the post box in the lobby.
Just after 5pm that day, Mr Dwyer and Ms O’Hara are seen together entering the building, the jury heard.
Footage from July 12th was said to show Mr Dwyer entering the building alone at almost 5.30pm, almost two hours after Ms O’Hara had left it.
Mobile phone
Det Sgt Duggan told the court that Mr Dwyer appeared to have a mobile phone in his hand. “He appears to put it away and take a second phone out of his jacket pocket,” the detective said.
Mr Dwyer was said to be seen entering the lift and then returning to the lobby three minutes later and going to the post boxes before leaving the building.
Ms O’Hara is shown entering at 6.12pm and going to the post boxes. Det Sgt Duggan said she appears to take something out and to have a mobile phone in her hand. “You can see it light up as she’s waiting for the lift,” Seán Guerin SC, prosecuting, said.
On August 13th, Mr Dwyer entered the apartment block at 8.02pm and left 10 minutes later carrying a backpack, the court heard.
Mr Dwyer was said to be shown entering the building again at 7pm on August 15th appearing to carry the same backpack, the court heard. Ms O’Hara arrives at 7.36pm and Mr Dwyer leaves at 8.02pm carrying the backpack, the court heard.
Mr Guerin asked if the detective had reviewed all of the remaining CCTV footage up to August 26th. Det Sgt Duggan said that he had.
“Did you see that backpack coming in again?” Mr Guerin asked. “I did not,” the detective replied.
His evidence continues.
