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Updated, July 29, 10.06
THE NEW PRISON to be built at Thornton Hall in north county Dublin – which was originally planned to house 2,200 prisoners – will now be built to accommodate just 500 people.
The government has accepted the recommendation of an independent review group which says the new facility should only contain 300 cells, a significant downscale of the 1,400-cell facility originally planned.
The report from the Thornton Hall Review Group, which was formed in early April, was published by the Department of Justice this lunchtime. In a statement, Shatter said the government had approved its recommendations in principle.
The intention of the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrat government which bought the site in 2005 was that the new facility would allow for the eventual closure of Dublin’s main prison at Mountjoy.
The plan also suggests that a new 200-cell prison be built at Kilworth in Co Cork, with the prison on Cork’s north inner city being closed “at the earliest possible opportunity”.
The review group also recommends that both facilities be built with ‘step-down accommodation’, which effectively provides for an open centre with a secure perimeter.
Shatter said this proposal would “enable prison authorities to give greater operational effect to the ‘principle of progression’ in the penal system.
The proposed prison complexes will allow the prison authorities to create incentivised prison regimes to allow offenders progress through the system in a way that helps their eventual reintegration into society. ”
The minister added that he agreed with the group’s statement that building new prisons was not the sole way of tackling prison overcrowding, but that other strategies should also be used.
A decision on the timeframe for building the two new facilities will be made in the autumn when the government decides its capital spending priorities for 2012.
As of last Friday there were 5,479 people in the prison system, though 612 were on temporary release due to overcrowding alone.
The purchase of the Thornton Hall site caused great controversy at the time, when the government paid around €30m for the plot – considered significantly above the market price at the time.
A 190-acre farm in Ratoath, just a few miles away from the proposed prison site, was sold for €6.2m just two months later.
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Finally justice for Elaine and her family, he discarded her like an
animal and went on with his life as normal, intriguing case, great work by all who made this day happen
And the nation breathes a sigh of relief..
I’m also intrigued as to why you’re getting red thumbed.
Sadistic sociopath, good to see the verdict.
The question now must be, are there any other victims of this sick, depraved perverted psychopath ?
I’m convinced half the red thumbs that dont make sense are from people with hyper sensitive smart phones that accidentally press red thumb while scrolling — ????
This wasn’t a verdict it was a witch hunt, he may be guilty as sin but no evidence that she was murdered let alone that he did it
Very, very unsafe verdict,
Did you think TeaRex, that Dwyer was the only one with that type of personality?
@paul i’m wondering if the judge in his summation may rue his candour… no doubt about the verdict but i wonder how long the appeal will follow after.
unsafe verdict? Are you high? The mobile phone evidence was damning. He is 10000% guilty. The only surprise was it took the jury so long.
From the judges direction and the evidence it seems like the conviction maybe very unstable.
It may not withstand an appeal. I am not surprised people think justice has been done but it really doesn’t seem like it. Alternative lifestyle doesn’t mean guilt
Actually I thought Tony Hunt did an excellent job in his directions to the Jury. He was clearly concious of the likelihood of an appeal.
I fear the Judges summing up will leave the door open for an appeal.
Why is the verdict unsafe Paul, in your reasoned legal opinion?
I’m curious as to why anyone thinks the verdict is unsafe?
There is plenty of circumstantial evidence Colm.
Circumstantial evidence and guilty beyond reasonable doubt are two diametrically opposed positions.
From the time he was arrested there was information drip fed by the Gardai to the media, they in turn had him convicted in the minds of the general public before the trial even began,
“knowing he’s guilty” “sure who else could it be” “sure he’s into weird kinky stuff” is a helllllllllll (or at least it should be) of a long way away from proving he done it,
Their is no proof phone was his – name never mentioned & never contacted anyone else off it. Only evidence is that it was in similar area’s to Dwyers phone
Listening to the evidence and the story in general made me sick to my stomach. Can you imagine a sicko like that walking the streets ! Glad he is behind bars and I would not describe that mans activities as an alternative lifestyle !!
Odd that the phone was pretty much always where his registered phone was though?
And what does that mean legally? You are a lawyer I assume.
If you leave a joint of meat on the table in a locked house empty but for a dog and come back to find the joint is gone and the dog is happy there is no direct evidence, but beyond reasonable doubt the dog ate it.
alright people are getting sidetracked on the phone evidence. The main point here is how can someone be convicted of murder when we can’t be sure if there even was one???
1. No cause of death
2. No witness
3. No murder weapon
“Circumstantial evidence and guilty beyond reasonable doubt are two diametrically opposed positions.”
Actually, this is not the case. Circumstantial evidence is safe to use IF there is no reasonable alternative explanation for it.
And given the address of his family being used for one phone, a name very similar to a friend of Dwyers being used for one phone, and given that Elaine O’Hara had the number on her computer with the word “Graham” beside it, not to mention the uncanny resemblance to the life of “Sir / Master” with the life of Graham Dwyer, there was no other reasonable explanation.
Graham Dwyer is not 100% guilty. He’s not 1000% guilty. He’s not 100000% guilty either. He is guilty to the point of infinity, multiplied by infinity again.
I think he will appeal, as given all the evidence he is a raging narcissist, but I think it will fail and I hope he spends the rest of his natural days behind bars.
@Kal
“Alternative lifestyle doesn’t mean guilt”
How is having desperate urges to rape and murder women an alternative lifestyle?
Colm I’m sure Dwyer could use you as part of his defence team on appeal!!!
Texts from the fones where directly linked to Dwyer ,
Birth of his daughter
Coming 5th in model airplane comp .
The shovel found was from his house
They have pics of Dwyer with the back pack on that was found !!
The phone was registered to his sisters house !!
100% guilty and I hope he rots in jail
Emotions run strong in the immediate aftermath of an event like this SOC, but they dont help.
There were a number of alternative explanations incl suicide. There was no actual evidence of murder.
The shovel found was ‘like’ the one found in his house
well said Gonzo
How could you bury yourself if you committed suicide?.
Are you serious
Apart from texts that link to his movemonts, violent sexual material on his computer next to family photos and other compelling evidence that we didn’t see or hear that the jury did. He can appeal the ruling like anyone else convicted if he is innocent and can prove it he will be released. But its not for us to pass judgement thats for the jury and they made the decision.
Did the girl walk to the Dublin mountains from the graveyard. Of course she was murdered.
Do you think someone should get away with the perfect murder? Genuine question. I certainly think he did it.
And by making such a meal of it, the judge has made a successful appeal far more likely.
Thomas thats the best explanation of reasonable doubt ive heard yet.they should use that in court!
@Colm Moloney”Their is no proof phone was his – name never mentioned & never contacted anyone else off it. Only evidence is that it was in similar area’s to Dwyers phone”
As the judge or somebody said in regard to the phone evidence ‘ if it wasn’t the accused then it was somebody with a remarkably similar life to that of the accused’ (not a direct quote)
All the circumstantial evidence pointed to him.
Debbie you along with a lot of other people on this don’t seem to be getting my point. I am not saying I think he is innocent but my point it the way the case was handled from the start and all the info leaked throughout. Whether is is innocent or guilty is is very hard to argue that he received a fair trial as he has been vilified from day one.
And then onto the judges direction to jury that they “had to be satisfied that she was murdered by stabbing beyond reasonable doubt” – was returned with a [unuamious] guilty verdict to this despite the fact there is no physical evidence or such is highly dubious.
Personally I feel that if it goes to appeal [which it is bound to] in front of a 3 judge panel that he will walk
Colm, Suicide is not a reasonable possibility here. Do you seriously think that Elaine O Hara left her car in Shanganagh cemetery and walked 30 KM to Varty Resevoir to throw in her stuff including car keys ( and his phone) and then hiked another 30KM over the dublin mountains to Kilakee to kill herself?
A trained athlete couldn’t do it in one day, much less a depressed woman of her age. It’s a ridiculous hypotheses. Somebody drove her, and that somebody is tthe person who stabbed her before and threatened on to stab her ” in the guts” upon her release from hospital.
You really can’t see past your own predijuce.
Elaine had his name and that phone number written in her diary
Does he belong in a lunatic asylum or a prison,?
Let us also remember..he is somebody’s child.
Means, motive, opportunity. All there.
Brilliant news. An extremely twisted and dangerous man is off the streets tonight.
Phew.. Glad that sicko will be locked up.
I have so much compassion for the family of Elaine O Hara. I felt sometimes like it was Elaine that was on trial.
She was unfortunate to meet that evil man who took advantage of her vulnerability and ultimately murdered her.
there just may be a god
Shane – and why did he let it happen in the first place?
Nope, still no God.
God gave free will, therefore he doesn’t intervene – unfortunately at times.
He’s like the director of a bad reality TV show then isn’t he?
Gabbi-brilliant!
Lone hurler, that argument is a cop out.
If God is omniscient, then he created Dwyer in the full knowledge that he’d use his “free will” to do this. God, if he exists is either incompetent or a malevolent psychopath.
@Bigus Diccus – Actually no! What you are doing based on your comment is creating God in YOUR own image – what you deem he should be
If he doesn’t intervene, why do people bother praying? Them singers and actors don’t win all them awards by themselves you know.
Fair play to the Jury; it must have been an awful few weeks for them having to listen to the evidence.
Hopefully this will give some solace to the family
And unfair play to the reporters who insisted on publishing the most salacious details of these people’s, and others, sex lives. We didn’t need to know any of that.
I did jury duty once, It was for a drug offence and lasted two days and that was pretty exhausting. I can’t imagine the stress of being on the jury for this trial.
A lot of long hard hours of work went into this on the part of the investigating gardaí. Tip of the hat to them.
Great to see Justice has been done .
Hopefully Elaine’s family get closure on all this now
Sick b*stard, he would have definitely been a serial killer if he wasn’t caught!
@ Pat Mustard. Maybe he already is a serial killer.
Hope he rots in hell
The whole thing is very sad, for everyone.
Couldn’t agree more, there are no winners, only justice served. But glad that psycho will be locked away at least.
Justice
Just a guess but this comment section will be a storm, I’m sure people have been waiting a long time to get things off their chests about this.
I think this is the right decision, and I would have been so upset it it wasn’t a guilty verdict. Thank God for justice, he can stop trying to fool everyone now.
It seemed obvious he was guilty, what a weird sad case
Good hope he rots in prison
There’s nothing good about this case. So many lives have been torn apart. I can’t begin to imagine what his wife and children are going through.
Bevin… I would say that hopefully his wife will realise that her and her kids have had an extremely lucky escape. It may be very hard for them now but if he was allowed to live freely after this,who knows what might have happened.
ehhmm … the verdict is good, is it not?
I really wouldn’t call being married to a murderer a “lucky escape”…
I’d say we could not imagine. Lots of grief for all concerned
I didn’t say being married to him was a lucky escape. I’m saying him being convicted of a murder and not being in the house with his wife and kids is. Whether his wife knew what he was like or she didn’t,either way, they’re all safer now today.
Jeni , eh why ?
Would you feel “lucky” if your husband/father did this? Come on!
You need to read observers post again jeni
It’s the right verdict. But there’s nothing good about being found guilty of murder. Elaine O’Hara’s family have to deal with their loss and with her personal life been flashed across every new paper. And his family have to live with the knowledge their Husband/Father/Son was not who they thought. I’m sure he is effectively dead to them.
@Bevin you’re so right. I can imagine they will change their names and move..I know I would and my kids also.
Well said Bevin. Although they have nothing to be ashamed of. Hopefully they’ll get the support they need.
Jeni I don’t mean that she was lucky to marry him. She s lucky that she and her kids didn’t end up in a situation where they would be on the front pages of every paper someday.
Guilty as sin, I know due process but God that went on a long time, hopefully he enjoys his sexual fantasies in the mountjoy shower room
Again with the rape!
They said the same thing about the Birmingham 6.
Thank you to the jury and all involved. It can’t have been easy listening to what that sick ba*tard did to poor Elaine.
Maybe now her poor family, and his innocent family, can start to try and get over this awful crime.
The way the judge was going on lately I was convinced he was going to walk away.
Judge had to be balanced and even a bit leaning towards the defence to prevent any straws for an appeal. No way out of Arbour Hill now.
For sure. I hope he like reverse role play.
Can we try not to wish rape on anyone? He’s been sentenced to prison. Not to prison + rape, and it’s only ever male offenders people say that about.
Why do you want him to be raped? Will that make the rest of us safer somehow?
Eye for an eye is the only kind of justice that resonates with simple people.
Kettle full of boiling water and sugar should do the trick.
Will be all sh¡t stabbing for the master now!!
Le Tigre, I never said anything about rape. To the best of my knowledge the man never raped anyone. What’s going on in your head???
To think that he nearly got away with it, hopefully life means life for the life that he murdered.
Must have thought he would get away with it too, all those txt messages so incriminating. Good police work too.
Glad justice has been done, he and many others preyed on this poor Lady who had severe mental issues. Hope her family find some comfort on Todays result, also thinking of the guilty parties family i do not believe they had any knowledge of their Father/husbands sick twisted mind. i believe he has done this before, i wonder is there any other bodies waiting to be found. Hope he rots in his cell. RIP Elaine.
Also would love for Gardai to consider him a suspect for the Rainaird Murray which happened near his home by his weapon of choice. Elaine’s murder was not his first, most definatly not. How many more Elaine’s are out there waiting to be found.
Severe mental illness or suffered from depression. Not quite the same thing. I don’t think Elaine was quite the innocent party you think she was. She played her role in this too.
True enough, you live by the sword, and all that.
Typical blame the victim! Regardless of her lifestyle her life was taken and her body left to rot while her family worried for her. Your comment sickens me.
@McConnell Mary. You’re right, she wasn’t innocent in the way that she consented to *certain* things. She was a grown woman and I guess she thought she knew what she was doing. However her naivety where alternative lifestyles are concerned is what got her in trouble.
But, that naivety came from a place of mental imbalance and extreme vulnerability… which made her an easy target for a predator like Dwyer. He obviously toyed with her weaknesses and coerced her into doing things that she wasn’t comfortable with. THIS is why that poor woman WAS innocent in all this.
I truly hope that all family members get some peace now, and can move on with their lives.
Laura thank you for expressing exactly what I thought of Mary McConnell’s comment. I was temporarily too angry to formulate a remark. ‘She played her role in this too’? Oh, well then, that’s alright so
There is a special place reserved in hell for this b*llox
Was absolutely written in stone he done it. Some of the text messages that the media released made me sick. Glad that justice can finally be found for her.
From a phone not linked to him by evidence. Very unsettling such circumstantial evidence was used at all. I don’t know the truth but a worrying use of information in court case
Not linked to him by evidence – apart from the fact that it accompanied him around the country for years, and only left his side when it was dumped along with “the awful woman’s” own phone. Lot of circumstances there. Guilty as sin, hope he rots.
Poor Elaine. At least she finally has justice.
God rest her soul, may Elaine O’Hara finally RIP. God Love her family for what they have had to go through.
Your God let this happen. He created this monster. If your God was capable of loving her or her family do you think he’d have let it happen?
2 edgy for me.
Too soon, Nik, too soon.
Hats off to the Gardai for their incredible work in piecing it all together. They got lucky with the phones, but once they did, a huge task was still required to get this nutter convicted.
Finally!
Obviously there could be no comment section during the trial but my goodness, how f**ked up was this case??
Justice does exist. RIP Elaine O’ Hara.
Also i believe Dwyer did this before and believe Gardai have already started to put things in motion to profile unsolved murders. Rainord Murray died a stones throw from this guys house by his favorite weapon of choice.
He also mentioned her death to Elaine as per the evidence. Very suspicious.
Yes someone told me as the crow flies its under 1 mile to his house. Be interesting to see in the short future if the Gardai do anything. Be peace of mind for the Murray family. But for me there is a big red flag here.
I had the same thought….. Let’s hope of there are more his crimes are uncovered.
He didn’t live in that house at the time of Raonaid’s murder.
Yes, we all saw your first comments. I’m not sure the Murray’s will be much comforted by your idle speculation though
The Murrays would love comfort in their daughters murdered caught by hook or by crook. Thats a certain.
Hope he rots in hell; Elaine, you never will be forgotten love
That jury have done a service for us all, and one none of us I think would like to have been called to do. As have the Gardai with their meticulous investigation.
But most of all they have done a service for poor Elaine O’Hara and her family. I hope they can find peace after what they have been through.
Great to see the jury made the correct decision, and hopefully Elaine’s family will get some closure.
I feel sorry for the Dwyer family though not Graham they will have to live with the stigma for the rest of their lives.
He can see for himself what it’s like to be stabbed and raped in prison now.
Another pro-rape comment! He wasn’t even convicted of rape
Very sad thing to even suggest. What do you want people to be like when they get out of prison? Experienced rapists with knife skills and/or angry rape victims.
Two wrongs compounds noran. Justice is done, hopefully. It doesn’t need the assistance of other criminals.
‘My urge to rape, stab or kill is huge. You have to help me control or satisfy it’
“This means you have to stop putting on the deadlock. So I can slip in while you sleep so I can rape/stab you,”
“Stab, stab, stab, rape, kill,”
“I’ll be quick, no punishment, just rape,”
“your job should be getting tied up and raped”
…..These are all quotes from Graham Dwyer.
So that makes your pro-rape comments ok?
I’m sorry, are you some kind of moral authority? Do you want me to apologise to you or something? I couldn’t give a toss if you find my comments “ok” or not.
Le Tigre, methinks you doth protest too much…
Good news. How he made her family sit through all of this by not pleading guilty only compounded their sorrow. May poor Elaine rest in peace.
A beast like that should be put down
Unleash the comments………
Relax john , the comments are UNLEASHED!!!
Bizarre and shocking case, will go down in infamy.. At least a very twisted man is where he belongs and a family has got justice… RIP Elaine
Right decision ……. May Elaine now rest in peace …..
Well done to the Gardai involved for gathering the evidence and putting the case together. Well done to the Jury for sitting through a harrowing case and finding him guilty.
I feel so sorry for the Jury. They must be traumatised
He has destroyed a lot of families
I’m delighted but I foresee an immediate appeal. The judges summation to the jury was flawed, having to recall them was a monumental cock up.
Completely agree, what the hell was he playing at this week? Bad day at the office.
Agreed. We haven’t heard the end of this.
Near everyone convicted of murder attempts an appeal. Nothing to lose. Doesn’t necessarily reflect badly on the judge.
Things like that happen a lot and may have no bearing on an appeal. I always felt that if he was to appeal it would be because his defence was lacking. I expected his team to be more aggressive given the serious nature of the case….. Graham dwyer is a game player I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the trick up his sleeve.
Take that, you sick b’strd.
Right job
Justice. But one unfortunate lady dead
My heart goes out to both families.
We owe a debt to the Gardaí for the painstaking, meticulous investigation into what was a very difficult and upsetting case, while they also went home at night to their homes and families carrying the burden of such horror.
I cannot imagine the grief and anguish that Elaine’s family have been through, from her disappearance, the search for her and this awful trial, where her whole life was laid bare. And their journey is far from over. I hope at least a little of their pain is relieved by today’s verdict.
And Elaine, you’ve touched the hearts of the whole nation. You were the one on trial but ultimately not judged. You will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.
The police did really really well. The Garda in Roundwood who was in 18 inches of water pulling things out of the muck when (at that time) there was no significance to them – brilliant work. The jury made the right decision today. Based on the evidence given to the court, only a fool would believe he was not guilty.
Finally Elaine can rest in peace knowing justice has been served! Rip lady xx
Justice has been served, I was worried that he might just get away with this. Prison should suit him well.
Thank God this awful evil man has been put away .MAY Elaine rest in Peace now and lets not forget the Judge Jury Lawyers and witnsses in this trial it cannot have been easy for them Well done to all of you
May he rot in jail
That jury deserve so much praise… What an awful job to have to look at so much disturbing evidence. Having read the reports over the last few weeks I had formed the opinion that he was guilty so I agree with the outcome that said it is not an easy process being on a jury I’m sure the trial and the weight of deciding on someone else’s life takes a toll. Well done to all who investigated, prosecuted and convicted. I hope elaine’s family feel that she got the justice she deserved. This case was so tragic. Elaine was just a woman struggling with mental illness and looking for someone to show her love.
Evil incarnate ,feel so sorry for his family
Hopefully all involved can now start on the road of healing and counselling,safer for everybody that he is removed from society,let’s hope he is not given internet access while in prison because he would only start tormenting other vulnerable women
UNLEASH THE COMMENTS……………..
Ok they’re unleashed..calm down
This guy was so arrogant to think he was untouchable and committed the perfect murder. I for one am thrilled to see this sadistic, manipulative excuse of a human being has been convicted.
Unfortunately for Elaine’s family they will always have to live with what this monster did.
RIP Elaine
While justice has been served there are no “winners” in this. The victims family had to hear truely horrific things about their daughter/sisters life, Dwyers wife and children have been humiliated, all under the scrutiny of the media.
I wonder if the gardai are investigating if there were other victims?
Oh Thank God… I for one will sleep better tonight knowing that nutter is locked away!! The best result all women & children in this country could hope for.. Well done to all the jury for making the right choice & hopefully saving other lives by not letting this guy back out on our streets!! Jill Meagher’s death is one lesson too many!! RIP Elaine & Jill
And men..
What’s it got to do with children?
Excellent news!
Thing is, the dirty b*****d won’t rot anywhere. Will be out in no time on parole and good behavior etc etc. Send him to Utah in front of the firing squad.
What freaked me out is the other women he had been with and had consented to knives and cutting. People be crazy.
What’s the media gonna do now all this is over? Good to see him found guilty in what seemed a heinous crime, but media voyeurism in this case was excessive to say the least
Well said. They went way beyond what was necessary
Very worried there could be a successful appeal and/or a retrial, given the judge’s bizarre carry-on this week. Anyone else think his instructions were overly biased towards acquittal as well?
RIP Elaine. Nobody should be treated that way ever, consensually or not.
I’m not defending this guy in any way, but you can’t dictate what people should be allowed to consent to as adults.
Wasn’t really consenting from a very mental unstable lady.
Nobody’s dictating anything – but being murdered is not what you wish for anybody, no?
Of course murder is a definite NO NO, and I don’t believe she would consent to being murdered. It was just the way you phrased it… “treated that way”. It kind of implies all the other stuff.
Spot on Jeni, this poor lady suffered severe mental issues and people took advantage of that and whould have talked here into doing things a person of sound mind wouldn’t. Some sick men out there if they think this type of behaviour is fine.
She was murdered, stabbed & abused. That’s pretty bad treatment, consent or no consent.
Did you read the bit where Eric said that’s he’s not condoning this guy jeni?
Please take the time to read others posts before you misquote them.
Murder is obviously totally and undoubtedly crossing the line in terms of consent. What I mean is that bdsm in general is a tricky area morally, but as long as what is happening is consensual, and partners are of sound mind, we really cannot dictate their lifestyle to them. Once again stating that murder is not ok in any circumstance, even extreme bdsm. It feels ridiculous even saying it, something which should go without question. Anyways, he manipulated her mental illness and her bdsm tendencies so he could kill her, and he has been rightfully found guilty. God help her family.
Gerry – read my posts properly why don’t you. Nobody consents to murder. Nobody. Why on earth that appears so difficult for you to understand I don’t know.
Ok now for the sentence, unfortunately we can’t execute him. So he could walk free in 7 years or he could die in prison and that’s up to the Judge and future Justice Ministers.
He HAS to sentence him to life in prison but he can parole after 7
The judge can extend the lack of parole for the first 30 years – he should
Then the minister can veto his release even then – he/she should (I hope it’s me just so I can stamp a big fat REJECTED on his file)
The average time served on a life sentence here is 16 years. I have a feeling he’ll do more than that.
Well, that really went down to the Dwyer…
GOOD
Correct. Good because there is no god.
Brilliant, Brilliant Brilliant, I hope the evil cold hearted ba $tard rots
Delighted he has been convicted, just a pity he couldn’t have pleaded guilty from the beginning and not have had sordid details from Elaine’s sex life printed all over the media, tarnishing her memory!
Feel sorry for his wife and kids of course
Which is more than he did.
A very intriguing case. Please God he will rot in prison.
D4 monster
Since when is Foxrock D$?
D4
The $ was actually appropriate
Thought he was from Cork?
Does it really matter where he is from?
Get yer postcodes right there Chewy ;-)
My deepest Sympathies to Elaines Family. I Knew Elaine Very Well She Stayed In My Bnb A Few Times She Was A Lovely Person.Rest In Peace Elaine.
I wonder if Elaine was his only victim
Grooming a vulnerable woman for abuse, stabbing her and murdering her is not an ‘Alternative lifestyle’ ! It’s a criminal offence !
bye bye nutjob, the poor defencless woman
The only problem with this is it’s not long enough for him. Am I right in saying he will be out in about 15 years? Scandalous.
In this case he was guilty until proven Guilty , hope it’s a long time behind bars for him
Most sickening…..between this guy and the GermanWings pilot I’m losing faith in humanity…
Thank god justice is served. Although I can’t help think prison is too good for him. If he does get out early justice will be served on him on the streets and hopefully he will come up against someone to put him through the same pain and suffering he’s put others through.
I hope he rots!
Quickest.commenting article ever!
I believe he is now to be questioned over another Murder.
It was probably the correct decision, but unfortunately, the decision will be overturned as the judge erred in law and was ultimately incompetent. He failed to allow the jury to consider a manslaughter verdict and this will be successfully appealed. In addition, for a judge to say he agreed with the verdict “110%”? displays childishness and inexperience and underlines the fact that he was only appointed to the High Court last October by Fine Gael and is clearly out of his depth.
Agreed paul. This is based on quicksand unfortunately
Paul im afraid you ‘err’ in your knowledge/interpretation of the law. Absolutely no requirement to ‘offer manslaughter’
Augustus Hoop; What grounds are you basing your assumption on? I am basing my assumptions on instances in common law such as in the McNally case where Justice Carney did not allow the jury to acquit McNally or in other orbiter cases such as in R. v. Parent, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 761, 2001 SCC 30, where the appeal court held that the jury could find the appellant guilty of the manslaughter of his wife rather than of murder as charged by the judge et alia…Thus limiting the jury’s instructions and restricting the accused’s rights under law to a fair and reasonable trial.
Paul, the fact is that there is no requirement to offer manslaughter as an alternative (check out the criminal justice act).
However the facts of an individual case may require it. I assume that in the ward case (and the others you refer to) the fact that one person caused the death of the other was undisputed – there was then an issue around intention, which opens up the possibility of manslaughter. In this case it is the act of killing that is disputed. It appears on facts that if you accept he killed her – which would have to be based on texts- it follows that there was intention – as the texts outlined an intention. Also I assume ‘orbiter’ is a typo. Anyway, he will appeal but it’s not the certainty people here are suggesting.
RIP Elaine. Maybe now you can rest.
Thank fook!
I just going to come out and say it, amazed he was convicted & would bet he will walk free on appeal unless more evidence comes to light
LIFE SHOULD MEAN THE REST OF HIS LIFE! This sick creature should never know freedom again!
Guilty or not he deserves to be locked up.
Guilty or not?? I’d dispute that.
What an ignorant thing to say Mrs.
wow there has been lot of rhetoric on this but really…
This guy obviously had some sort of mental disorder…
Makes one wonder, who’s worse…. this guy or the co-pilot??
It didn’t make me wonder that, but maybe I’m not as keen on Top Trumps Murderer Edition you
Guilty as sin in the role he played in Elains death but you’ve got to question her innocence in this whole depraved matter. According to the text messages she was far from innocent and more than likely not the victim the prosecution would have you believe. My deepest sympathies to her family. As for Graham, justice has been served for his part.
Mary, just shut up at this point. You’ve made your stupid, victim-blaming point three times already.
Mary, the poor woman is dead. Would you like to dance on her grave?
Elaine was not the only victim here. He has ruined the lives of her family, his own family and his wife’s family. Narcissistic sociopath. Has he even shown any remorse?
Incredibly tragic for Elaines family to endure the horrendous evidence given in this case. But at least today they have achieved justice for the terrible loss of Elaine.
So an appeal is going to come and he is successful what happens then
He is going to walk as case against him is completely circumstantial (even though I think he may be guilty) & pulled on heartstrings of jurors
This man needed to get locked up he is a danger to society ,,‘’一
In all fairness though, she was no saint herself and had her own weird part to play in the whole thing. He’s guilty as sin but how much of a victim was she. According to the text messages she knew full well what his intentions were and she went along with it.
Eh she’s a pretty big victim i’d say!! She lost her life just for his sadistic sexual gratification! Her texts to him explicitly stated that she did not want to be murdered. It was there in black and white in a message to him!
Did you actually just ask “how much of a victim” was the murder victim? Jesus Christ.
Good riddance, let’s hope this pig serves justice!
Justice done there I think.
Justice done and seen to be done.. a good days work.
Justice prevails .. Now hopefully the sentence to fit the crime
i believe he is guilty. i hope the conviction is safe, i hope he is being looked at for further deaths, even Raonaid Murray.
The foremans question to the judge along side Jerry beades bog standard house comments will go down as the most idiotic statement in Irish public life,thankfully this sick twisted monster can keeps his warped evil fantasies behind bars.
I wonder are there many more victims of this depraved psychopath?
He never gave Elaine O’Hara a choice. He preyed on her. She had no one to protect her. She was very vulnerable and lonely. He took something that wasn’t his to take. It is not about lifestyle choice, which, I believe everyone is entitled to provided all parties are happy and above age. He crossed that line. I’m so sad when I hear about this poor girl and the desperation she must have felt. He is guilty of the most horrendous crime and anyone who doesn’t believe that is as guilty as him.
Was it an unanimous verdict or will we ever know?
Yes, Phil, it was unanimous
Thanks Bridget
Bang. And the dirt is gone.
So sad that when women are killed, the convictions are based on circumstantial evidence or worse, murder becomes manslaughter.
The appeal is certain.
I can categorically tell you that is absolute rubbish. Circumstantial evidence is not inferior to direct evidence, when no alternative reasonable explanation can be found – just as in this case.
I am sure there will be an appeal as Graham Dwyer things everyone is against him, that he is right and they are wrong, that he is too clever to get stuck with prison, but I think it will fail and I also think that all of the evidence when taken together is far too strong to be credibly undermined.
I’m sure this is all just a big misunderstanding
Am I the only one who thinks she hung herself from a tree ? She had only just spoken of hanging herself and had the rope too. Forensics didnt find a single stab mark on any of her bones, seems bizarre to me.
You probably are. Your analysis is like saying 3 plus 3 = 500. Go and look at the evidence.
I hear they’re already planning a film about the case. The working title is “50 Shades of Graham”
Well said Gorgina, it is sad that your comment is so far down in the postings, but your statement is so true
How soon is now
I only came here to read the comments..
have your say