Book Offer
This will close in 10 seconds
The trial of 32 year old Slovakian national Jozef Puška is scheduled to start at 10:30 this morning in the Central Criminal Court.
23 year old Ashling Murphy lost her life after an alleged assault which took place as she was out for a run by the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly on January 12th 2022.
Jozef Puška, who has an address at Lynally Grove in Tullamore, Co Offaly, will go on trial for the school teacher’s murder and if convicted will face a mandatory life sentence.
It is expected that the trial could last up to six weeks.
As Gript previously reported, five Slovakian nationals appeared in Tullamore District Court on the 15th of June last charged with offences in relation to the case of the murder the school teacher.
Three women and two men were charged with offences including withholding information and impeding the arrest of an alleged offender.
All five people who were charged were arrested in Dublin before being brought before Tullamore District Court.
Marek Puška, 34, Puška, 35, and Lucia Istokova, 34, were charged with withholding information on dates between 12 January 2022 and 27 January 2022.
Two others, Jozefina Grundzova, 33, and Viera Gaziova, 38, were charged with impeding the arrest of an alleged offender on dates between 12 and 14 January 2022.
An interpreter was provided for the court hearing.
Judge Michele Finan granted all five bail on a range of conditions including that they all surrender their passports and reside at the addresses provided to the court.
Ms Murphy was a highly-regarded traditional musician from a musical family, having performed with Comhaltas and at the Tullamore Trad Fest. She often performed with her sister or other family members.
She was teaching in Scoil Naomh Colmcille primary school before her death.
A member of Ballyboy Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the talented fiddle player also tutored students of traditional music.
Her killing caused widespread shock and horror, and in the aftermath of her death local Independent TD, Carol Nolan, said that the attack on Ms Murphy was a “horror beyond comprehension,”
This will close in 10 seconds