Ireland Case No. 7347Murder · Co. Offaly · 12 Jan 2022
Trial of Jozef Puska for murder of Ashling Murphy opens
Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old schoolteacher, was attacked at about 3.30pm on 12 January 2022 while exercising on the Grand Canal near Tullamore, Co Offaly, and was found dead beside the canal. Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old Slovakian man, was charged with her murder. The prosecution says he made an admission to gardaí through an interpreter two days after the attack, when they spoke to him in St James's Hospital in Dublin. Mr Puska pleaded not guilty, and the trial before the Central Criminal Court and Mr Justice Tony Hunt opened on 17 October 2023, with a jury of three women and nine men sworn in. The trial is listed to last four weeks.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court17 Oct
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old Slovakian man, is on trial for the murder of Ashling Murphy.
- Ashling Murphy was a 23-year-old schoolteacher.
- Where
- Ms Murphy was attacked while exercising on the Grand Canal near Tullamore, Co Offaly, and was found dead beside the canal.
- When
- Ms Murphy was killed at about 3.30pm on 12 January 2022.
- Cause
- Ms Murphy suffered 11 stab wounds to the right side of her neck.
- Weapon
- The prosecution says Mr Puska told gardaí he had a knife he used for chain.
- Investigation
- Gardaí harvested about 25,000 hours of CCTV, and the prosecution says it shows Mr Puska in Tullamore in the hours before Ms Murphy died.
- The prosecution says Y-STR DNA matching Mr Puska's DNA was found under Ms Murphy's fingernails.
- Mr Puska's bicycle was found at the scene, and the prosecution says he had cuts and scratches consistent with leaving through briars around the canal.
- The prosecution says Mr Puska admitted to gardaí through an interpreter, saying 'I did it. I murdered. I am the murderer', two days after the attack in St James's Hospital in Dublin.
- Other details
- The prosecution says Mr Puska's claim that he was stabbed was a pack of lies and that he accepted responsibility for the murder.
- Charges
- Mr Puska was charged with murder.
- In court
- Mr Puska pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Murphy before the Central Criminal Court and Mr Justice Tony Hunt.
- On 17 October 2023, Anne-Marie Lawlor SC opened the prosecution case before a jury of three women and nine men, and the trial is listed to last four weeks.
25 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man is on trial for the murder of schoolteacher Ashling Murphy. (irishtimes.com)
- whatAshling Murphy was a 23-year-old schoolteacher. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereAshling Murphy was attacked while exercising on the Grand Canal near Tullamore, Co Offaly. (irishtimes.com)
- whereMs Murphy was found dead beside the Grand Canal in Tullamore. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenAshling Murphy was killed at about 3.30pm on 12 January 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenMs Murphy was killed on January 12, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeAshling Murphy was stabbed 11 times to the neck. (irishtimes.com)
- causeMs Murphy suffered 11 stab wounds to the right side of her neck. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe prosecution relies on CCTV, DNA and witness evidence. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí harvested about 25,000 hours of CCTV. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe prosecution says Y-STR DNA matching Mr Puska's DNA was found under Ms Murphy's fingernails. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe prosecution will rely on CCTV which it says shows Mr Puska in Tullamore in the hours before Ms Murphy died. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationMr Puska's bicycle was found at the scene where Ms Murphy's body was found. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe prosecution says Mr Puska had cuts and scratches consistent with leaving the scene through briars around the canal. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe prosecution says Mr Puska, through an interpreter, said I did it, I murdered, I am the murderer. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeMr Puska was charged with murder. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Puska has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ashling Murphy. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is listed to last four weeks. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Puska has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Murphy. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA jury of three women and nine men was sworn in to hear the trial. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial is before the Central Criminal Court and Mr Justice Tony Hunt. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtAnne-Marie Lawlor SC opened the case for the prosecution. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe prosecution says Mr Puska made an admission to gardaí through an interpreter. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe prosecution says Mr Puska's claim that he was stabbed was a pack of lies. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe prosecution says Mr Puska was accepting responsibility for having murdered Ashling Murphy. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 17 Oct2023Ashling Murphy trial hears Jozef Puska 'admitted to murder'
Reports the opening of the prosecution case at the Central Criminal Court, including the prosecution's account of DNA, CCTV and alleged admissions, and the accused's not guilty plea and the jury being sworn.
victim, Ashling Murphy, 23, female, irish (judged from name)Ashling Murphyaccused, Jozef Puska, 33, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jozef Puska - 17 Oct2023Ashling Murphy trial hears that accused told gardaí: ‘I did it, I murdered, I am the murderer’
Report of the opening of the trial at the Central Criminal Court. It sets out the prosecution case and the evidence it will rely on, including an alleged admission and CCTV, DNA and witness evidence.
victim, Ashling Murphy, 23, female, irish (judged from name)Ashling Murphyaccused, Jozef Puska, 33, male, Slovakian, named, non-irishJozef Puska