Jozef Puska convicted of Ashling Murphy’s murder

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Jozef Puska was found guilty by a jury of murdering Ashling Murphy. The proceedings were reported on 10 November 2023.

Puska had pleaded not guilty to murdering Murphy at Cappincur, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on 12 January 2022. The trial was held at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Tony Hunt.

Detective Sergeant Brian Jennings told the trial that, on 14 January 2022, Puska admitted the murder through an interpreter at St James’s Hospital. Jennings said Puska also expressed regret and said he had not done it intentionally.

Detective Garda Fergus Hogan said Puska spoke about cutting Murphy’s neck and pointed to his own stomach, saying, “I do this”. Puska had earlier told gardaí that two strangers stabbed him in Blanchardstown and that he sustained scratches while trying to defend himself.

In his trial evidence, Puska said a masked man stabbed him, killed Murphy and fled. He said he had tried to help her. The prosecution pointed to Puska’s DNA under Murphy’s fingernails and Jenna Stack’s evidence that she saw him holding Murphy down.

Defence counsel Michael Bowman argued that Puska’s confession was unreliable because of oxycodone, surgery, the unfamiliar hospital environment and the language barrier. He asked the jury to consider whether Puska’s account raised a reasonable doubt. The jury rejected the defence and found Puska guilty.