Trial date for Jozef Puska, charged with the murder of Ashling Murphy

A 31-year-old man accused of murdering schoolteacher Ashling Murphy in Tullamore will face trial in Central Criminal Court next June.

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

Ms Murphy was fatally attacked while jogging along the Grand Canal in Tullamore.

Defense attorney Rebecca Smith BL told Judge Paul McDermott today that her case was being led by Senior Counsel Sean Gillane and that her client Puska appeared via video link.

Ms Smith said there was a Slovak interpreter in court and Mr Puska needed a hearing. She also told the court that the defense needed a Slovak interpreter for all future court hearings.

Mr Justice McDermott set the date for Mr Puska’s trial before a jury in the Central Criminal Court on June 6, 2023. The process is expected to take between three and four weeks.

The judge said all disclosures must be made within four months of that date.

The Slovak national appeared via video link for today’s brief hearing and was in pre-trial detention up to that date.

On April 6, Mr. Puska was referred to the Central Criminal Court for trial after the evidence book was served to him.

In addition, free legal aid was granted to include representation of junior and senior counsel during the trial.

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.