Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 19212Murder · Co. Offaly · 12 Jan 2022

Jury in Ashling Murphy murder trial expected to begin deliberating

Offaly schoolteacher Ashling Murphy was killed on the afternoon of 12 January 2022 on the bank of the Grand Canal at Cappincur, Tullamore. Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old man from Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for her murder and denies it. Evidence presented includes DNA from Ms Murphy's nails matching Puska, and Puska told the court he had tried to help her and then panicked and left the scene. On 9 November 2023 Mr Justice Tony Hunt directed the jury on five areas of evidence, and the jury was expected to begin deliberating that afternoon, with no verdict reported yet.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court9 Nov
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Ashling Murphy, an Offaly schoolteacher, was killed.
Charges
Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old man from Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, is on trial for murdering Ms Murphy and denies it.
Where
The killing took place at Cappincur, Tullamore, on the bank of the Grand Canal.
When
The killing took place on the afternoon of 12 January 2022.
Weapon
Ms Murphy was stabbed with a knife and her neck was cut, and Puska is alleged to have attacked her.
Investigation
  • In a hospital interview, Puska said he had cut the schoolteacher.
  • A swab from Ms Murphy's nails contained a DNA profile matching Puska.
  • Puska was linked forensically to Ms Murphy and to a bike found at the scene.
  • An eyewitness, Jenna Stack, identified a man other than Puska as the man she saw in the ditch holding Ms Murphy down.
Other details
Puska told the court he had been trying to help the woman and then panicked and left the scene.
In court
  • The trial is held at the Central Criminal Court and was described as three weeks long.
  • On 9 November 2023 Mr Justice Tony Hunt outlined five areas of evidence for the jury (confessions, DNA, inferences, lies and eyewitness accounts) and told jurors to return a verdict in line with the evidence.
  • The judge resumed his directions to the jury that morning and had not finished before lunchtime.
  • The jury was expected to begin its deliberations on the afternoon of 9 November 2023; no verdict is reported in the articles.
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whereThe killing took place at Cappincur, Tullamore, on the bank of the Grand Canal. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe killing took place on the afternoon of 12 January 2022. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • weaponAshling Murphy was attacked by Puska, who stabbed her with a knife and cut her neck. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationPuska said in a hospital interview that he had cut the schoolteacher. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationA swab from Ashling Murphy's nails contained a DNA profile matching Puska. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationPuska was linked forensically to Ashling Murphy and to a bike found at the scene. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationAn eyewitness, Jenna Stack, had identified a man other than Puska as the man she saw in the ditch holding Ashling Murphy down. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeJozef Puska denies murdering Ashling Murphy. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtA judge told jurors to return a verdict in line with the evidence. (extra.ie)
  • courtThe judge's instruction was given in the Ashling Murphy murder trial. (extra.ie)
  • courtThe jury in the trial of the man accused of murdering Ashling Murphy was expected to begin its deliberations on the afternoon of 9 November 2023. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Tony Hunt resumed his directions to the jury that morning and had not finished before lunchtime. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial was held at the Central Criminal Court. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe judge outlined five areas of evidence for the jury: confessions, DNA, inferences, lies and eyewitness accounts. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial was described as three weeks long. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherPuska told the court he had been trying to help the woman and then panicked and left the scene. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 9 Nov2023
    In courtoffalyexpress.ie, follow-up
    Jury in Ashling Murphy trial expected to begin considering verdict this afternoon

    Reports the trial stage: the jury is expected to begin deliberating, the judge's directions on the five areas of evidence, and the defence account that Puska tried to help the woman and then panicked. No verdict is reported in this article.

    victim, Ashling Murphy, 23, female, irish (judged from name)Ashling Murphyaccused, Jozef Puska, 33, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jozef Puska
  2. 9 Nov2023
    In courtextra.ie, follow-up
    ‘Return The Verdict In Line With The Evidence’, Judge Tells Jurors In Ashling Murphy Murder Trial

    Covers the trial stage of the Ashling Murphy murder case, when the judge gave jurors direction. The body text is missing, so the only usable content is the headline. Several existing records cover the same murder, but none is at trial stage, so no case is matched.

    victim, Ashling Murphy, irish (judged from name)Ashling Murphy