Killer Dwyer's court outbursts over text messages to Elaine

Murderer warned by counsel after interruptions denyin he sent murder fantasy SMS

- PAUL NEILAN

MURDERER Graham Dwyer was warned by his legal team yesterday after he repeatedly denied he texted his victim that he would “love to stab a girl to death”.

Dwyer, 50, who was found guilty of murdering vulnerable care worker Elaine O’Hara for his sexual gratification in 2012, is appealing his conviction.

His lawyers claim the retention of mobile phone data used in the case is an “opportunistic form of mass surveillance” that transforms phones into tracking devices.

At the Court of Appeal Dwyer repeatedly interrupted Sean Guerin for the DPP, to deny text messages attributed to him.

Mr Guerin was drawing the court’s attention to a June 27, 2011, text message which was sent from a phone attributed to Dwyer that read: “I want to stick my knife in flesh while sexually aroused. Blood turns me on and I would love to stab a girl to death.”

Mr Guerin said Dwyer did what he said he was going to do.

From the prisoner’s area, Dwyer interrupted: “I didn’t say any of that.”

Counsel said one text from Dwyer to his victim read if anyone was to ask her who was texting her, she should tell them it was her brother.

“I never wrote that,” Dwyer again interrupted.

INTERRUPTION

Court of Appeal President George Birmingham addressed Dwyer’s counsel Remy Farrell about his client’s behaviour and said: “We have ignored one interruption.” Dwyer was spoken to by his legal team.

Mr Guerin said there was “overwhelming” evidence Dwyer was the user of the phone but there had not been a dependence on disputed data.