Graham Dwyer admitted knowing Elaine O'Hara and having a sexual relationship with her in Garda interviews, but repeatedly denied murder, a jury at the Central Criminal Court has been told.
He told gardaí at Blackrock Garda station that he was “not an innocent person”, but he was “not a murderer”.
“I’m confident I didn’t kill anybody and I’m relying on that,” he said.
Mr Dwyer (42), an architect of Kerrymount Close, 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 Killakee mountain, Rathfarnham, on September 13th, 2013.
Det Garda Peter Woods, who arrested Mr Dwyer on October 17th, 2013, agreed with Seán Guerin SC, prosecuting, that the first interview with Mr Dwyer began at 9.25am.
There were five interviews in all over a 24-hour period, four of which were conducted by Det Sgt Woods and his colleague Det Garda James Mulligan, the court heard.
The first interview lasted until 1.15pm, Mr Guerin said, and one of the first questions Mr Dwyer was asked was if he knew Elaine O’Hara.
“I didn’t kill anybody,” he responded.
When gardaí explained that his detention might be extended, he said: “That’s unlikely.”
Mr Dwyer also said he was worried about his wife and children and about being associated with the case. He was concerned he would be photographed leaving the station and there would be a headline “Architect arrested for murder”.
Solicitor consulted
Det Sgt Woods agreed that Mr Dwyer had consulted his solicitor before the first interview and between subsequent interviews.
The second interview began at 2.30pm. Mr Dwyer was shown a photo of Ms O’Hara in glasses and he said he was “not a killer” and “not a saint”.
“You’re trying to make me guilty for something I didn’t do,” he said. He was shown CCTV stills of himself at Belarmine Plaza. “I’m glad I’m not murdering anyone in any of those photos,” he said.
Det Sgt Woods agreed he asked Mr Dwyer if he ever came into contact with Ms O’Hara on a website.
“That’s better. I can see why you knocked on my door,” Mr Dwyer answered.
The third interview got under way shortly before 9pm. Mr Dwyer again denied killing and said he did not know anything about an 083 phone registered to Goroon Caisholm with an address that was his sister’s address.
Det Sgt Woods read text messages to Mr Dwyer found on Ms O’Hara’s phone and back-up and from the 083 phone.
Mr Dwyer became distressed and repeatedly asked gardaí to stop reading them.
“Isn’t it true you derive sexual gratification from stabbing?” Det Sgt Woods asked him.
“I don’t want to talk about my sex life, guys, please stop,” he answered.
He was also asked about references in the texts to flying, a pay cut and buying a bike. He said he could not explain it, but the phone was not his. “You have a stabbing fetish, don’t you?” the detective said.
“Oh my God, that’s not my phone,” Mr Dwyer responded.
CCTV footage
He was also asked about CCTV footage at Belarmine that showed him with a backpack on August 15th, 2012, the week before Ms O’Hara died.
The fourth interview began at 12.50am.
Mr Dwyer said he met Ms O’Hara on Alt.com. She wanted to be chained up and he wanted sex, he said, “but she wasn’t very attractive”.
He also said knife play was an aspect of BDSM, but he “wouldn’t cut anybody”.
Further texts were read to Mr Dwyer and he was asked about the master and slave phones recovered in the Vartry reservoir. He said they were not his.
He also told gardaí Ms O’Hara would tell him what she needed.
“Definitely she wanted to be bound, sometimes pain; that wasn’t for me,” he said.
Alt.com history
Det Sgt Woods also read a text allegedly sent by Mr Dwyer that said gardaí would find him “way back” in Ms O’Hara’s Alt.com history.
“Now, who did we find way back in her Alt history?” Det Sgt Woods asked. “Lots of people, but that’s not me,” Mr Dwyer responded.
Det Sgt Woods also told him that his former partner Emer McShea had told them he was into stabbing.
“I think there were key words dropped to her. There’s a lot of hate there,” Mr Dwyer said.
Det Sgt Woods quoted more texts and asked how Ms O’Hara’s keys and inhaler ended up in the reservoir. “You left the body so you could go back and look at it,” he said.
“Ah, that’s disgusting,” Mr Dwyer responded.
Asked if he had an alibi from 6pm to 9.16pm on the day Ms O’Hara disappeared, Mr Dwyer said he would have to check.
The interview ended at 4.54am.
The trial continues.
