Graham Dwyer trial told of contacts between mobile phones

There were 64 contacts between ‘master’ and ‘slave’ phones on day O’Hara disappeared

Graham Dwyer: An 083 phone allegedly used by him often used the same  mast cells as his work phone. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Graham Dwyer: An 083 phone allegedly used by him often used the same mast cells as his work phone. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times

An 083 phone number allegedly used by Graham Dwyer usually used the same phone mast cells as his work phone on days it was operating, a jury has heard.

Crime and policing analyst Sarah Skedd agreed the 083 phone most frequently used a cell site at ESB headquarters on Fitzwilliam Street. On the same days the 083 number was active, Mr Dwyer’s work phone also most frequently used the ESB cell site.

The second most frequently used cell site for both phones was Rochestown Lodge Hotel, Killiney, south Dublin.

The third most popular cell site for the 083 number was Three Rock and for the 087 phone it was Poland. Other sites used by the 083 number included Carrickmines and Stepaside Garda station and the 087 number used Cabinteely, Foxrock, Deansgrange and Carrickmines.

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Mr Dwyer (42), an architect from Kerrymount Close in Foxrock, is charged with murdering 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 Killakee Mountain, Rathfarnham, on September 13th, 2013.

Contact lists

Ms Skedd also gave evidence that two Nokia phones found in the Vartry reservoir had only each other in their contact lists under the names MSTR and SLV. She agreed with Seán Guerin SC, prosecuting, that MSTR was “master” with only the consonants and SLV was “slave”.

Ms Skedd examined data for five phones; the master and slave phones, the 083 phone allegedly used by Mr Dwyer, his 087 work phone and an 086 iPhone, owned by Ms O’Hara.

She said there were 64 contacts between the master and slave phones on August 22nd, 2012, the day Ms O’Hara disappeared. There were also 98 contacts between them on August 21st, and 26 on the 20th.

There was also frequent contact on dates including July 11th, 2012, when there were 94 messages, and July 9th, when there were 51.

Mr Guerin outlined contacts analysed between Ms O’Hara’s iPhone and the 083 number. Theses included 70 contacts on November 10th, 2011, and more than 20 each day on November 22nd, 23rd and 24th.

Mr Guerin said the Nokia master and slave phones were bought on November 30th, 2011 and, after that, the contact between the iPhone and the 083 phone “largely ceased” for a time.

847 messages

There were 847 messages between Mr Dwyer’s work phone and Ms O’Hara’s iPhone in 2008 and 2009, the court heard. There were 2,637 messages between Ms O’Hara’s iPhone and the 083 number, allegedly used by Mr Dwyer, between March 25th, 2011, and July 12th, 2012.

Ms Skedd said, of the 2,637 texts, she could read the content of the messages for 2,344 of them. She also confirmed there was a small amount of contact between Ms O’Hara’s iPhone and the slave phone.

Mr Guerin suggested this was consistent with a person who had two phones and could not find the second one and would ring it.

The trial will resume on Thursday.

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland is a crime writer and former Irish Times journalist