Episode 18: Guilty

Jozef Puska was today handed a life sentence for the murder of Ashling Murphy. In this episode, we’ll bring you the incredibly powerful and emotional victim impact statements delivered by Ashling’s family at today’s hearing. We’ll also discuss the remarks of the judge in relation to the sentencing regime for convicted murderers in Ireland. And we’ll hear from one of the country’s most senior gardaí, who spoke to the media after Puska was taken back to prison.

In this extended episode, Deborah Naylor, Courts Correspondent with Virgin Media News; and Eoin Reynolds, Courts Reporter with Courts News Ireland, join us to discuss what the jury didn’t hear during the trial. And with Jozef Puska now a convicted murderer, we speak more freely about our opinions on the evidence, and we also have a chat about Ashling’s legacy.

The jury in the Ashling Murphy murder trial has begun its deliberations. In his charge to the jury this afternoon, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said if they’re to convict Jozef Puska of murder – they must be satisfied he stabbed Ashling Murphy 11 times in the neck. Mr Justice Hunt said if they’re satisfied that no crime has been committed by Mr Puska, they must find him not guilty. 33-year-old Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, denies murdering the school teacher along the Grand Canal in Tullamore on January 12th 2022.

Today, the jury in the Ashling Murphy murder trial was told Jozef Puska has provided an ‘unequivocal structure of lies and mistruths’. However, the defence has told jurors that they must be ‘very careful’ in assessing the evidence provided to them in this case  Later this afternoon, Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the jurors that if they believe Jozef Puska’s version of events - that he was attacked by a masked man who also killed Ashling Murphy - then they must acquit. Mr Puska, who’s 33 with an address of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, denies murder.

The jury in Jozef Puska’s trial for the murder of Ashling Murphy has now heard all of the evidence in the case. The final piece of evidence presented to them came from an expert witness for the defence, who raised concerns about the reliability of Mr Puska’s confession. The jurors were also given an update as to when they are likely to begin their deliberations. Mr Puska denies murdering Ashling Murphy along the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore last year.