Jury in Dwyer trial to continue its deliberations

Judge emphasises gravity of undertaking: ‘It’s over to you. And I wish you well’

Graham Dwyer:  Has pleaded not guilty to murdering Elaine O’Hara (36) on August 22nd, 2012. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/ The Irish Times
Graham Dwyer: Has pleaded not guilty to murdering Elaine O’Hara (36) on August 22nd, 2012. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/ The Irish Times

The jury in the trial of Graham Dwyer is to resume its deliberations at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday after 90 minutes considering a verdict on Wednesday.

Sending them out after a charge lasting a total of 10½ hours, Mr Justice Tony Hunt encouraged them not to give themselves an unrealistic deadline. He emphasised how much was at stake and said if they had to sit past Friday, they should do so.

“It’s over to you. And I wish you well,” he said.

Before the jury retired, the foreman said when he asked the judge on Tuesday, “what are we to find him guilty of?” he had not meant it “to come out like that”.

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“When it comes to things not coming out as they are meant, I have a first-class honours degree in that, so don’t you worry about that,” the judge told him.

Eagerness

Mr Dwyer (42), from Kerrymount Close, Foxrock, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Elaine O'Hara (36) on August 22nd, 2012.

Mr Justice Hunt recalled the jurors on Wednesday after sending them out to deliberate at 3.30pm on Tuesday.

He told them in his eagerness to send them out he had “shifted up the gears too quickly” and needed to tell them “a couple of things in a bit more detail”.

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland is a crime writer and former Irish Times journalist

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson is an Irish Times reporter