THE GRIEF of a local Wexford father was outlined at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday (Monday) as convicted murderer Graham Dwyer was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Elaine O’Hara.

Architect Graham Dwyer of Kerrymount Close, Foxrock was charged with the murder of 36-year-old childcare worker Elaine O’Hara on August 22, 2012 after her remains were found in Kilakee Mountain, Rathfarnham on September 13, 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Frank O’Hara from Parnell Street in Wexford had given evidence in the case of his daughter’s murder and he returned to the court with a victim impact statement which was read out by the prosecuting counsel.

In it, he spoke of the sadness felt by the family at the time of Elaine’s disappearance and their attempts at closure before the discovery of her body and the upgrading of the investigation to one of murder.

“There was further anguish for the family as we now faced the unimaginable horror of Elaine having been murdered.”

He spoke of how difficult the trial had been on the family particularly the texts she had received from a “depraved and diseased mind” and her own responses in which he said he could hear his daughter’s voice “just wanting to be loved.”

He finished his statement with a series of questions, which he acknowledged may never be answered but the family was troubled by them: “This is our life sentence. For us, there is no parole.”