New defense attorney appointed for man charged with murder of Ashling Murphy

A new attorney has been appointed to represent the man charged with the murder of Ashling Murphy.

Ozef Puska, 31, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, is accused of murdering the 23 year old primary school teacher in Cappincur, Tullamore, Co Offaly on the afternoon of January 12, 2022.

He is due to appear before the Central Criminal Court in June next year.

At a brief hearing in the same court today, an application by defense attorneys Padraig Langsch & Co to be included in the case was granted by Mr Justice Paul McDermott after prosecutor Anne-Marie Lawlor SC informed the judge that the Director of Public Prosecutions did not object to the request.

Mr. Puska was not present in court at today’s hearing.

Ms Murphy was jogging along a path by the side of the Grand Canal in Tullamore when she was fatally attacked.

At an earlier hearing on April 25, defense attorney Rebecca Smith BL told the court that her client needed a Slovak interpreter for future court hearings.

The process, which begins on June 6, 2023, is expected to take three to four weeks.

Ms Murphy, a talented Irish traditional musician and a graduate of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, was working as a teacher at Durrow National School at the time of her death.