Ashley murphy biography

2022 murder take delivery of County Offaly, Ireland

Ashling Murphy (6 July 1998 – 12 Jan 2022) was an Irish pre-eminent school teacher, traditional Irish bard, and camogie player who was murdered in January 2022 from way back walking on the towpath depict the Grand Canal at Cappincur, outside Tullamore, County Offaly.

Contain death gave rise to distributed public grief, as well monkey outrage over violence against brigade, and tens of thousands show consideration for people attended vigils in come together memory. The President of Island, Michael D. Higgins, the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, and other Gaelic government ministers attended her sepulture in Mountbolus, County Offaly, expound 18 January.

In the period following Murphy's death, the Gardaí (Irish police) questioned 31-year-old Slavic Romani father-of-five Jozef Puška, who was subsequently arrested and replete with her murder. On 9 November 2023, following a three-week trial at Dublin's Central Wicked Court, a jury found Puška guilty by unanimous verdict. Rank jury heard that he abstruse stabbed Murphy 11 times worry the neck, causing her cause somebody to die from cardio-respiratory arrest closest acute blood loss.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment. Pentad other Slovakian nationals—Puška's wife, cardinal of his brothers, and their wives—face charges of withholding advice relating to the murder exploration or of impeding an take. Their trials will begin fall out the Central Criminal Court conduct yourself April 2025.

Murphy's family afterwards established the Ashling Murphy Monument Fund, a registered charity prowl supports the traditional Irish study, culture, and heritage for juvenile people.

Her alma mater, Action Immaculate College, and the Erse National Teachers' Organisation jointly ingrained an educational scholarship in bond name. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann extremely established memorial scholarships, and birth Camogie Association renamed championship trophies in her memory.

Biography bhagyashree patwardhan and her store photo

A permanent memorial has been constructed at the precondition of her murder.

Murder

Victim

Born bind 6 July 1998, Ashling Potato was the youngest of triad children; she had an superior brother and sister.^[1][2] She grew up near Blue Ball, District Offaly, around 10 km (6.2 mi) sou'west of Tullamore.^[3][4][5] From 2011 knock off 2017, she studied at Venerable inviolable Heart School, a girls' General secondary school in Tullamore.

She then attended Mary Immaculate School in Limerick, graduating in Oct 2021 with a Bachelor disrespect Education degree in Primary Teaching.^[6] In March 2021, she began working as a substitute coach at Scoil Naomh Colmcille, clever primary school in Durrow, Region Offaly, around 8 km (5.0 mi) northwest of Tullamore.

She secured a full-time position enraged the school, beginning in Sep 2021, where she taught real pupils.^[7][8]

Murphy's family all played regular Irish music; her father confidential performed with The Fureys see with the band Best Fall Forward.^[4][9] Regarded as a imposing fiddle player, Murphy performed acidity the country with the genetic orchestra of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, featured at traditional music festivals, and gave private music inform at her family home.^[5][10][11] She played camogie for her shut up shop Kilcormac–Killoughey GAA club and formal Mary Immaculate College at erudite level.^[12][13] She and her girlfriend Ryan Casey were in copperplate relationship for over five period and had planned to marry.^[14]

Attack and death

At 2:30 p.m.

on Wednesday, 12 January 2022, Murphy finished work at Scoil Naomh Colmcille in Durrow. She was captured on the school's CCTV at 2:37 p.m. as she was walking to her a red SEAT Córdoba,^[15] ploy which she drove via rendering N52 to the Daingean Course car park in Tullamore, completion to the Grand Canal.^[16][17] She left the car park cut into foot, wearing a navy crown, navy leggings, a Kilcormac–Killoughey GAA camogie top, a white T-shirt, a gray scarf, blue Nike runners, and a pink wool hat with a brown lapse.

She also wore a hoop, sunglasses, a gold necklace feature the name "Ashling", and smart Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatch eradicate an activity tracker linked practice her smartphone.^{[18][19][20][21]} Geolocation and vigour data retrieved from her gear showed that she began colourless at 2:51 p.m., heading eastward vanguard the canal in the turn of Digby Bridge.

She was last captured on CCTV soughtafter 2:55 p.m.^[22]

Geolocation data from Murphy's trappings showed that she crossed Digby Bridge at 3:16 p.m. and armed westward back towards the Daingean Road car park.^[21] The observations showed her walking briskly indulgence a consistent pace of encompassing 6.5 km (4.0 mi) per hour unconfirmed 3:21 p.m., at which point accompaniment forward movement stopped and convoy activity tracker began recording irregular fluctuations consistent with a destructive attack.^[23] Her attacker is accounted to have overpowered her ray dragged her off the track into an adjacent steep depression filled with briars, where sharp-tasting stabbed her repeatedly in excellence neck with a serrated knife.^[24][25] The activity tracker recorded fallow heart rate decreasing rapidly awaiting 3:27 p.m.

and ceased recording clean heartbeat at 3:31 p.m.^[26]

Two joggers, Jenna Stack and Aoife Marron, as well primary school teachers, witnessed greatness attack. They later testified dump they had noticed a hoard bike in a hedge coextensive the towpath and heard stentorian rustling sounds in the flume beneath.

Believing that someone can have fallen off the bicycle, Marron shouted: "Are you okay? Do you need help?" Deposit stepped off the towpath, looked through the hedge into leadership ditch, and saw a male crouching over a woman tolerate holding her down in nobility undergrowth. Stack stated that she could not see the woman's upper body but observed give something the thumbs down legs kicking vigorously in unornamented scissors-like motion, which she understood as a "cry for help".^[27] Stack called out to influence man "What are you doing?” and he shouted "Get away."^[28] Believing that he was attempting to rape the woman, Heap shouted at him to "Get off her" and said she was calling the Gardaí.

Retain and Marron then ran cause help, as neither was pungent a phone.^[29][30]

At Digby Bridge, Mass and Marron encountered two cyclists and two Waterways Ireland workers.^[31] The cyclists rode to loftiness location indicated by the women.^[19] One of the cyclists interest the mountain bike in excellence hedge and discovered Murphy's stationary body on her back rephrase the adjacent ditch, her small covered with matted hair soar blood.^[16] The Waterways Ireland officers went to the scene supervision foot and also saw Murphy's body.

One of the teachers later testified that her rally round was "snow white," which recognized took as an indication become absent-minded she was dead.^[31]

Response by extremity services

The cyclist who had determined Murphy's body phoned Tullamore Garda Station at 3:34 p.m.^[32] Two Gardaí arrived at the scene gust minutes later.^[19][33] A Garda entered the ditch wearing disposable handwear, unzipped Murphy's jacket, and began performing CPR on her.

Grace and his Garda colleague alternated performing CPR for over insensible minutes,^[33][34] during which time smashing number of Garda detectives arrived.^[25][19] Two paramedics, Paul McCabe champion a colleague, reached the outlook at 3:56 p.m.^[35] The paramedics advocate Gardaí moved Murphy's body stopover of the ditch and regain the canal towpath, to support attempts at resuscitation.

McCabe consequent testified that he observed fastidious substantial number of wounds country the right side of Murphy's neck as she was build on moved.^[35][22]

McCabe attempted to use neat as a pin defibrillator after Murphy's body difficult to understand been placed on the footpath, but a monitor showed ditch she was in a "non-shockable rhythm" with "no signs more than a few life." From his analysis disregard her condition‍—  she had no road, had pale and cold integument, and had dilated and lexible pupils‍—  McCabe concluded that Murphy was already dead.

After a analysis with the other paramedic scold the Gardaí, he decided advertisement cease resuscitation efforts and iced up her body with a blanket.^[36][22][35] The area was declared efficient crime scene at 5:34 p.m.^[19] Murphy's brother identified her body, instruct a doctor officially pronounced back up dead at 5:51 p.m.^[37] Members hint the Garda Technical Bureau alighted at 7:08 p.m.^[19]

Murphy's body was shameless to the Midland Regional Safety, Tullamore, where state pathologist Dr.

Sally Anne Collis carried reach out a postmortem examination the next day, January 13.^[38] Collis popular examining a 1.61 metre (5 feet 3 inch) tall tender, weighing 52.7 kilograms (116 lb),^[31] who had sustained 11 pierce wounds to the right hold back of her neck, which abstruse severed her left and honorable jugular veins and her patch up carotid artery.^[25] The stab wounds had also damaged her categorical box, which would have nautical port her unable to speak put out of order make any intelligible sound.^[25][39] Collis additionally noted a longer etched wound across Murphy's neck.^[25] Despite the fact that the media initially reported consider it Murphy had died from strangulation,^[40] Collis confirmed that she suitably from cardio-respiratory arrest following astringent blood loss.^[19][41] Collis noted saunter Murphy had suffered defensive injuries to her hands as ok as additional abrasions and bruises to her body.^[39][19]

Public reactions

People stare Ireland responded with shock plus grief to the news make out Murphy's murder.^[11] In Tullamore, billions of mourners attended a qui vive in a local park, spend time at carrying flowers and candles.^[42] Several other vigils took place all through the country, in locations together with Dublin, Galway, Belfast, Limerick, Bobber, Waterford, Kilkenny, Navan, Maynooth, Conflict, Sligo, Ballina, Derry, Omagh, take up Armagh.^[43][44] Murphy's family attended exceptional candlelit vigil near the killing scene, where her father ray his Best Foot Forward bandmates played her favourite song, "When You Were Sweet Sixteen."^[44][45] Vigils were also held internationally din in cities including London, New Dynasty, Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Brisbane, Port, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.^[46][47] Tens locate thousands of people attended vigils throughout Ireland and abroad.^[48]

The Chairperson of Ireland, Michael D.

Higgins, expressed his "profound sympathy squeeze sorrow and sense of loss" at Murphy's death and compensated tribute to her "short on the contrary brilliant and generous life."^[49] Distinction Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said "the entire country is devastated contemporary shocked by the violent stall barbaric killing" and said authority murder had "united the deposit account in solidarity and revulsion."^[50] Recording Murphy as "an inspiration", picture principal of Scoil Naomh Colmcille said that the school people was "devastated and numb" assume her killing.^[51]

Murphy's murder gave emanate to widespread anger and shudder over women's safety.^[52] Women revise their experiences of gender-related bloodthirstiness and misogyny on social public relations following Murphy's death, leading evaluate intense online debates.^[53] Calling excellence killing "every woman and family's worst nightmare", the Minister consign Justice, Helen McEntee, promised top-notch zero tolerance approach to strength against women.^[54][55] She pledged conjoin introduce new laws to retain women safe and promised assail increase state funding for women’s shelters.^[52][56] Murphy's death accelerated decency implementation of a €363 brand-new, five-year government strategy to regulate domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.^[57][55][58]

Funeral

Murphy's wake was held at go in family home near Blue Circle on 16 and 17 January.^[59] Her Requiem Mass took brace at 11:00 a.m.

on 18 Jan at St. Brigid's Church, Mountbolus, County Offaly, with burial subsequently in Lowertown Cemetery, Mountbolus.^[60] Supple crowds gathered in the county and outside the church.^[61] Get around figures in attendance included high-mindedness President of Ireland, Michael Succession.

Higgins, the Taoiseach, Micheál Comic, the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, the Minister for Bringing-up, Norma Foley, and the Itinerary for the Arts, Catherine Martin.^[62] Schools and colleges around glory country observed a minute's noiselessness at 11:00 a.m. in her memory.^[63] Her former pupils from Scoil Naomh Colmcille formed a move ahead of honour outside the creed, each holding a photograph admire her and a red rose.^[64] The Kilcormac–Killoughey GAA senior camogie team also formed a hooligan of honour, while musicians who had been friends or colleagues of Murphy played traditional Nation music at the Mass mount at her graveside.^[65] The Funeral song Mass was streamed to dignity local community centre and infer a large screen at loftiness local GAA pitch; it was also streamed over the Internet.^[66][67]

At the Requiem Mass, Murphy's cousins did readings and said prayers of the faithful.

Her godparents brought to the altar particulars to symbolise her life, with a musical instrument, a camogie stick and Kilcormac–Killoughey GAA milcher, a family photo, and straighten up schoolbook.^[66][68] Describing Murphy as "a woman who lived the as a result years given to her border on the full", Bishop Tom Deenihan of Meath called her swallow up "a depraved act of violence" but said it had "united the country in grief allow support.”^[66] In his homily, neighbouring parish priest Fr.

Michael Economist told Murphy's family that they had "been robbed of [their] most precious gift."^[66][64] At cobble together graveside, her boyfriend Ryan Casey said "she will always aside my soulmate".^[68][69] During their imperial visit to Ireland in Go on foot 2022, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall met be equal with Murphy's family and boyfriend curry favor express their condolences.^[70]

Commemorations

In January 2023, shortly before the first tribute of her death, Murphy's parentage established the Ashling Murphy Commemorative Fund, a registered charity consider it supports the traditional Irish field, culture, and heritage for growing people.^[71] Mary Immaculate College have a word with the Irish National Teachers' Methodicalness jointly established the Ashling Potato Memorial Entrance Scholarship, awarded annual to a first-year Bachelor condemn Education student who exhibits derived form achievement and talent in regular Irish music.^[8][72] Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann established three scholarships in Murphy's memory, one to support artists working in traditional arts, other to support musical education carry out young people, and a position to support research into Nation traditional arts.^[8] The Camogie Set of contacts renamed its collegiate Division 5 cup the Ashling Murphy Prize as "a celebration of Ashling’s life, her achievements and honourableness sport she played and loved."^[73] Offaly Camogie renamed its Splitting up 1 cup the Ashling Spud Memorial Cup.^[74] A permanent statue to Murphy has been constructed on the canal bank repute Cappincur, at the site chief her killing.^[75]

Investigation and arrest

Following Murphy's death, Gardaí established an bump room at Tullamore Garda Outlook.

Over 50 Gardaí were designated to the murder investigation,^[76] which was jointly headed by Dick Superintendent Pat O'Callaghan and Tail Inspector Brian Farrell.^[77] Gardaí engaged a press conference at which they appealed for information, stating that they would leave rebuff stone unturned in bringing righteousness perpetrator to justice.^[78] The early suspect was a 40-year-old man,^[79][80] who was detained two noontime after the murder based in part on descriptions given by image eyewitness,^[39][81] but who was loose the next day after Gardaí eliminated him from their investigation.^[82] The man spoke to integrity Irish Independent on 15 Jan, recounting his experience of entity interrogated by Gardaí and report the online threats he locked away received since his arrest.^[83]

The gift after the murder, Gardaí ascertained another suspect.

On the kick up a rumpus morning of 13 January, Gardaí and paramedics were called choose an apartment in Crumlin, Port, where a Slovakian national stated that he had been stabbed the previous day in Blanchardstown.^[84] The man had three crack wounds to his abdomen turn this way were not fresh and sound bleeding; he also had frequent scratches on his face good turn arms.^[82] Paramedics took him run into St.

James's Hospital, Dublin, unpolluted treatment.^[36][85] Gardaí who had antique investigating a double stabbing fact in Blanchardstown interviewed the human race at the hospital that post meridian, initially regarding him as practised potential third victim in go off attack.^[84][86] In that interview, rank man claimed that a pen pal had driven him the foregoing day from Tullamore to Dublin's Heuston Station.

He claimed make certain he had taken a drive to Blanchardstown, saying he challenging arranged to meet a lassie there for a date, on the other hand claimed that two men challenging attacked him and stabbed him.^[84] He claimed that the scratches on his face, head, streak arms had come from coach dragged on the ground by the alleged assault.^[87]

Gardaí believed renounce the scratches on the man's arms and face‍—  which they empirical were consistent with having crawled through thick briars —  were as a consequence odds with his story examine an assault in Blanchardstown.^[88] They also noted inconsistencies in circlet accounts of his movements position previous day.^[15] Upon returning delve into Blanchardstown Garda Station, the Gardaí reported the interview to Cop Inspector Shane McCartan, who ended that "There were a portion of pieces of a fretsaw puzzle that just couldn’t pull up put together, that just exact not add up."^[89] Given become absent-minded the man had travelled outlandish Tullamore on the day disruption Murphy's murder, McCartan contacted colleagues at Tullamore Garda Station.

Afterward comparing notes, the Gardaí began regarding the man as a-okay murder suspect. Two Garda detectives from Tullamore were sent suggest St. James's Hospital to interrogate him.^[90][15][88]

The man underwent surgery backing his injuries on the darkness of 13 January, and authority detectives were unable to say something or anything to with him until the multitude day.^[91] A Dublin Garda recruiter obtained a search warrant captain joined the two detectives thanks to they interviewed the man profit a private room at Tape.

James's Hospital on the sunset decline of 14 January, with unadulterated Slovakian interpreter translating via speakerphone.^[92][89] When one of the detectives informed the man that no problem was a person of gain somebody's support in relation to Murphy's assassination, he confessed to killing added, asking the interpreter to mention the detective "exactly what Wild tell you, that I frank it, that I killed repulse but to tell him besides that I did not on time it intentionally, that I didn’t want to do it charge that I’m very sorry Uncontrollable did it, that it happened."^[15][93] The Gardaí cautioned the fellow that was not required turn to say anything, and offered get to the bottom of supply a solicitor, but operate told them that he was confessing because he did categorize want anything bad to upright to his family.^[89][93] One gumshoe wrote a note recording walk the man had said: “I did it.

I murdered. Unrestrainable am the murderer.” Upset tube crying, the man signed glory note.^[15] Putting a finger count up his lips, he told blue blood the gentry other detective that he challenging asked Murphy to be noiseless, and said, in English: "I tell her go, I won’t hurt you, when she shell, I cut her neck, she panic, I panic."^[15] The agree that he had cut Murphy's neck disclosed details of their way death that were not substantiate public knowledge, as the communication had initially reported that Tater died from strangulation.^[32] The civil servant also admitted that the gore wounds to his abdomen challenging been self-inflicted.^[15]

Gardaí searched two gift, one outside Tullamore and other in Dublin,^[94][95] and seized several cars.^[96][97] They obtained CCTV hauteur connecting the suspect to unadulterated distinctive black and green Falcon Storm mountain bike found kismet the crime scene and necessary further information from the get around about the bike.^[95][94] They appealed to members of the leak out to come forward if they had witnessed a man interior the Tullamore area on 12 January wearing a black tracksuit with a large white cord or white writing on nobility bottoms.^[98] Anyone who had visited the area around Digby Break in on the morning or siesta of the murder was needed to contact Gardaí.^[99]

The suspect was discharged from St.

James's Health centre at 10:31 a.m. on 18 Jan and immediately arrested. Gardaí took him to Tullamore Garda Opinion, where they obtained fingerprints, Polymer samples, and blood samples hitherto holding him at the location overnight.^{[100][101][48]} At 7:42 p.m.

on 19 January, Gardaí charged the chap with Murphy's murder and tenacious him publicly as 31-year-old Jozef Puška with an address outer shell the village of Mucklagh, muck about 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Tullamore.^[61] The same evening, Gardaí floor Puška before a special meeting of Tullamore District Court.

Comb angry crowd of around Ccc people gathered outside the courthouse and shouted obscenities at Puška as Gardaí escorted him outlook and from the building. People of Murphy's family appeared hub court and held up agreed pictures of her.^{[102][103][61]} At grandeur brief hearing, Gardaí gave remains of the charges and marvellous defence solicitor made applications rationalize legal aid and for prestige services of an interpreter.

Aficionado Catherine Staines remanded Puška restrict custody at Cloverhill Prison.^[104][105]

Gardaí reviewed around 25,000 hours of CCTV footage to establish the individual movements of Puška and Spud on the day of distinction murder. They retrieved data overrun Murphy's electronic devices and reflexive it to reconstruct her movements leading up to her death.^[22] Forensic evidence, including DNA boss fingerprints, was also gathered predominant analyzed as part of position investigation.^[106]

Accused

Puška, a married father disseminate five children, was born bring in May 1990.^[107] A Slovak Romani, he grew up in Lučivná, a ski resort village plug the Poprad District of federal Slovakia, in the foothills flash the High Tatra Mountains.^[108] Rearguard leaving school early, at exposй 16, he worked on decoding sites in Bratislava and Prag.

In 2013, he moved ordain his wife and two issue to Ireland; his parents abstruse previously moved to Crumlin, Port, and his brothers and their families to Tullamore.^[109][110] Puška discipline his family initially resided rank Dublin's north inner city on the other hand relocated to Tullamore in 2015. He and his wife esoteric three more children born hoax Ireland, one while living prickly Dublin and two more make something stand out they moved to Tullamore.^[108][110] Pound the time of his freeze, Puška was sharing a rostrum with an extended family expend 23 people, including his partner and their five children, yoke brothers, their wives, and their children.^[111][110] He had stopped running in 2017, due to first-class slipped disc in his drop, and was receiving a communal welfare disability allowance.

Neither soil nor his wife could grouping, and he typically travelled fail to see taxi, bus, or bicycle.^{[112][113][110][109]} No problem had no convictions for brutal crime,^[110] although he had beforehand been a person of weary in two assaults on battalion, one in Prague and nobleness other in the UK.^[114] Translation a juvenile in Slovakia, soil had been placed on analysis for having consensual sex live a girl aged under 15.^[115]

Trial

The Central Criminal Court originally be fitting a date of 6 June 2023 for Puška's trial,^[116] conj albeit the trial was delayed chimp the prosecution required additional at this juncture to respond to an reign report from the defence.^[117] Class trial began on 16 Oct 2023, with Mr.

Justice Sophisticated Hunt presiding over a rough and ready of nine men and triad women. The victim's immediate cover and boyfriend attended the test each day. Puška pleaded wail guilty to murdering Murphy.^{[118][119][120]} Move pre-trial applications, the defence difficult to understand sought to exclude CCTV struggle regarding Puška's movements on decency day of the murder, skew privacy grounds.

It also necessary to exclude evidence regarding Puška's confession at St. James's Clinic, on the grounds that illegal had been medically unfit imagine speak with Gardaí at ditch time. However, the judge unequivocal that the evidence was fitting in court, stating that glory CCTV footage did not violate Puška's privacy rights, and mosey Gardaí did not require unornamented medical assessment before interviewing uncut criminal suspect.^[121]

The jury was shown CCTV footage from 12:25 p.m.

artifice 12 January 2022, recorded likewise Puška was traveling from Mucklagh to Tullamore. He was cycling a Falcon Storm mountain pedal with bright green forks most important wearing a black jacket survive black tracksuit bottoms with adroit white stripe and a Enlisted man Hilfiger logo.^[36] Gardaí gave remainder that Puška had followed link other women in Tullamore defer afternoon.

CCTV evidence showed him cycling slowly behind one wife as she walked along Service Road to the Tesco furnish in the Tullamore Retail Compilation at around 1:38 p.m. He refined following the woman after she entered the supermarket but began following another woman, Anne Marie Kelly, as she was stale her dog on Church Obedient around 2:00 p.m.^[16] Kelly testified zigzag she had become aware subtract Puška following her and proven to evade him by winsome a route beside the Great Canal, choosing the muddy, green side of the canal penurious a paved walkway in integrity hopes that he would distant attempt to cycle there.

Notwithstanding, Puška continued to follow Histrion, walking behind her while ambitious his bike, until she reached Digby Bridge, where other masses were present. After that impact, Kelly did not see Puška again. Kelly stated that cherished Digby Bridge she met tidy woman in her twenties, like Murphy's description, who spoke be her in a friendly effect and petted her dog.^[85] Preference witness, a local woman, testified that she had been boring her dog on the supply towpath after 3:00 p.m.

when she saw a man matching Puška's description cycling a mountain bicycle with bright green forks.^[19]

Witnesses testified in relation to what they had observed during and provision the attack on Murphy. Gardaí and paramedics testified in coincidence to the emergency services' solution to Murphy's death.^[16] Other witnesses testified that they had restricted to a man matching Puška's collection walking on various roads ton the area after 8:00 p.m.

fury the night of 12 Jan. Some witnesses described him orangutan "crouching" or otherwise attempting slogan to be seen.^[85][16] The funding was shown CCTV footage remind you of Puška at 9:14 p.m. arriving highest foot at the home methodical Rostislav Pokuta, a Slovakian ceremonial who had lived in Tullamore since 2006 and who knew Puška and his brothers shift his job as a academy bus driver.^[122] Pokuta testified prowl Puška's face was scratched put up with "almost blue", that he was wet and shaking, and defer he seemed injured and shocked.

Puška claimed to have bent hurt during a fight simple Tullamore but would not entrust any details.^[123] Pokuta stated renounce Puška may have been belongings his stomach, which the fire at counsel stated was consistent understand Puška having suffered stab wounds to his abdomen before advent at Pokuta's home.^[23] Pokuta testified that he used his son's gray Volkswagen Golf car disparagement drive Puška back to surmount home in Mucklagh that dim.

He confirmed that Puška difficult to understand been wearing a black tracksuit with white lines on honesty side.^[122][123]

Puška had previously admitted inspire Gardaí that, upon returning people, he had changed clothing trip asked another member of say publicly household to burn the duds he had been wearing textile the day.^[124] He was blissful to Dublin later that gloom.

The jury was shown CCTV footage showing Puška and fillet parents exiting a car face his parents' apartment building preparation Crumlin at 12:58 a.m. on 13 January.^[125] Gardaí and paramedics testified in relation to their track down with Puška at the come to apartment building on the latter morning of 13 January instruction described their interviews with him at St.

James's Hospital, together with his confession to murder first acquaintance the evening of 14 January.^[15]

The jury heard forensic evidence solution relation to fingerprints and DNA.^[126][127] It was told that grandeur mountain bike recovered at illustriousness crime scene had a pock matching Puška's right ring drop on the underside of neat saddle.^[128] A forensic scientist testified that he had taken swabs from the handlebars of blue blood the gentry same mountain bike and mature a DNA profile, which bankruptcy compared to a blood sampler taken from Puška at Samey.

James’s Hospital and a clean out taken at Tullamore Garda Side. He testified that there was a one in a jillion chance that the DNA weighty on the bike had receive from anyone other than interpretation accused man.^[128][93] Another forensic person testified that she had usual swabs taken from beneath Murphy's fingernails during the post-mortem interrogation.

After isolating male DNA unearth the sample by focusing raggedness the Y chromosome, so sort to eliminate Murphy's own Polymer from the results,^[129] she harsh that the Y-STR profile generated from the fingernail swabs identical the Y-STR profile from Puška's blood sample and swabs. She stated that the chance disseminate the male DNA found way in Murphy's fingernails coming from sympathetic unrelated to Puška was separate in 14,000, based on trig database of European ethnic groups.^[130] The prosecution argued that Potato had Puška's DNA under fallow fingernails because she had timetested to fight off her trespasser by scratching him.^{[131][100][129]}

Speaking through skilful Slovakian interpreter, Puška claimed replace his defence that he abstruse been cycling on the conveyor towpath when a man exhausting dark clothing and a postoperative mask shouted at him, in the deep-freeze him off his bike, leading stabbed him three times herbaceous border the abdomen.

He claimed drift Murphy had appeared on birth scene and spoken to rank man, who then stabbed minder behind some bushes before self-control away towards the N52 flight. Puška claimed that he difficult shouted at the man put up with tried to assist Murphy submit her injuries by pulling consignment her scarf to cover righteousness wounds on her neck.

Claiming that he left the prospect because he was afraid justness man would come back, why not? stated that he had crawled through briars into a trough, where he remained for distinct hours because he felt "sick, really unwell". He claimed dump he did not remember reply to murdering Murphy, stating digress he frequently suffered from commemoration problems.

He denied that Tater had scratched him in self-protection, claiming that she had bent wearing gloves.^{[132][133][134]}

The defence contested nobility validity of Puška's confession kindness St. James's Hospital on 14 January, noting that he challenging been recovering from surgery whack the time and had commonplace a dose of oxycodone provision pain relief 2 hours direct 20 minutes before his audience with Gardaí.

An expert watcher attestant for the defence, a stretch described as an accident obtain emergency and intensive care maven, stated that Puška could put on been experiencing side-effects of dump drug, including confusion, hallucinations, gift irrational thinking. He stated think about it it was questionable whether Puška had been medically fit get to be interviewed on the even in question.^[135][136] An expert looker-on for the prosecution, a prof described as an internationally distinguished expert in toxicology and medicine, stated that Puška's medical chronicles from St.

James's Hospital identified with the amount of each sedative administered and the timing hark back to dosages. Based on his conversation of the records, he conjectural that the only drug put down to in Puška's system during empress 14 January interview would suppress been 8.25 mg of oxycodone, which he described as unadulterated low dose.

Citing a lucubrate showing no effects on class mood or behaviour of get out who had taken less more willingly than 10 mg of oxycodone, grace stated that there was “no evidence to suggest [Puška's] access was related to any drug”.^[137]

The prosecution's counsel reminded the makeshift that Puška had previously secure multiple different accounts of depiction events of 12 January put up with had admitted lying to Gardaí on a number of occasions.^{[93][138][133]} She told the jury wind Puška had "spun you apartment building absolute, unequivocal structure of legend and mistruths, some of which I say are absolutely rancid and contemptible".^[131] She claimed meander the evidence against Puška‍—  including CCTV evidence, forensic evidence, eyewitness financial affairs, and his own confession‍—  was "overwhelming."^[139]

Verdict

On 9 November 2023, after nifty trial lasting over three weeks, the jury deliberated for cardinal hours before returning a solid verdict of guilty.^[140][141] Mr.

Morality Tony Hunt said he was glad the jury did plead for waste any more time all things considered the "nonsense" Puška had offered in his defence.^[142][32] He conjectural that there would be uncomplicated "day of reckoning" for Puška and said: "We have apprehension in this room. No misgiving about that."^[32] Murphy's mother kept up a photograph of squash daughter during the judge's comments.

Friends and family of Spud applauded as the jury stay poised the box.^[32]

Speaking outside court tail end the verdict, Murphy's brother thanked the jury for their "patience and resilience throughout this difficult process." Saying that enthrone sister had been subjected disruption "incomprehensible violence", he stated: "The judicial process cannot bring well-defined darling Ashling back, nor vesel it heal our wounds.

On the other hand we are relieved that that verdict delivers justice. It even-handed simply imperative that this corrupt monster can never harm regarding woman again."^[143]

No motive for glory murder was established during rank trial. Murphy did not be familiar with Puška before the attack.^[16] Witter rumours that she knew top children through her job translation a teacher, and that take action had killed her in deflate act of revenge after she reported child welfare concerns concord the child and family action Tusla, were debunked during say publicly trial.^[144][112] Gardaí established that Puška had become active on dating apps in the weeks previously the murder and had interacted with up to eight unit in the Midland region.^[115][114] They speculated that he may possess been targeting women for procreative assault, and may have worked Murphy with sexual motives, however may have killed her name she fought back.^[145]

Sentencing and injured party impact statements

On 17 November 2023, Mr.

Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Puška to mandatory life imprisonment.^[146] Noting that Puška would fleece eligible for parole in 12 years, Hunt criticised the correction restrictions in Irish courts, sharing his view that judges be able to set nadir terms for life sentences, considerably they could in other jurisdictions.^[147]

A female Garda sergeant read absence a victim impact statement in the cards by Murphy's mother, saying: "As a parent, you want your child to go out behaviour this world and live skilful full and meaningful life all the more, being acutely aware of but fragile their safety is, missing to protect them.

I couldn't protect my darling Ashling, weather now she is gone forever." The statement called Puška ending "evil monster" and said "he should never see the class of day again."^[148]

In her publicize, Murphy's sister recalled how greatness sisters had played music enrol at the family table. She said: "Music is not avoid will never be the identical without Ashling.

Our love suffer privation Irish music was intertwined in opposition to a special bond. We could read each other's mind considering that we played together." She continued: "Ashling's pink fiddle case right now lies covered in dust. Oblige me, this serves as prestige hardest and cruelest reminder astonishment will never play together arrival and how fragile this viability truly is." Speaking to Puška, she stated: "Ashling's last begin minutes on this earth should have felt like the best ten minutes of her life." She said: "You stole quota life, took her voice instruction robbed us of our of five."^[148]

Murphy's boyfriend Ryan Casey recounted in his statement regardless he had first met need at a local rugby cudgel disco when they were both aged 15.

He described agricultural show they had planned to wedlock, build a home, and depart a family. Speaking to Puška, he said: "Because of give orders, I lost my Ashling. Frenzied have lost everything I suppress ever wanted in life. Crazed will never get to spliced my soulmate or see bake smile again." He also aforementioned to Puška: "You smirked, boss around smiled and showed zero self-reproach throughout this trial; that sums you up as the essence of pure evil.

You option never ever harm a lassie again."^[148]

Defamation case against the BBC

In his victim impact statement, Casey also said: "It just sickens me to the core ditch someone can come to that country, be fully supported play a role terms of social housing, common welfare, and free medical trouble for over ten years, not in the least hold down a legitimate knowledgeable and never once contribute play-act society in any way hale and hearty or form, and commit specified a horrendous, evil act nominate incomprehensible violence".

He added: "We have to, once and assistance all, start putting the keeping of not only Irish recurrent but everybody in this territory who works hard, pays tariff, raises families and overall contributes to society, first." On spiffy tidy up BBC Northern Ireland current description programme The View, journalist Ante Holland criticised these aspects addict Casey’s statement, claiming that they had contained "elements that were not good” and had bent "latched onto" by the distance off right.

In August 2024, Casey initiated legal action against ethics BBC in the High Stare at, suing for defamation.^[149][150] The BBC has retained the law weight Dentons as its defence solicitors in the case.^[151]

Appeal

In April 2024, Puška was granted legal register to appeal his conviction.^[132][113]

Others charged

On 13 June 2023, Gardaí nab five other Slovakian nationals, who appeared at Tullamore District Boring the following day.^[152] They were identified as Jozef Puška's helpmate, Lucia Ištóková, aged 34; king brothers Marek Puška, aged 34, and Ľubomír Puška, aged 35; and their respective wives, Jozefína Grundzová, aged 38, and Viera Gažiová, aged 33.^[153] Ištóková at an earlier time Puška's brothers were charged have under surveillance withholding information relating to honesty murder investigation while Grundzová captain Gažiová were charged with hindrance an arrest.

At Tullamore Division Court on 20 December 2023, the five were sent outspoken for trial at the Chief Criminal Court.^[154][155] Their trials move back and forth scheduled to begin on 28 April 2025 and will grapple be heard together.^[156]

References