In a dramatic turn of events at Dublin’s Central Criminal Court, Jozef Puska, the man accused of the murder of 23-year-old schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, took the stand to testify in his own defence. During his testimony, Puska claimed that an unidentified masked assailant attacked him and fatally assaulted Murphy while they were both jogging near Tullamore.
Puska recounted the events, describing the attacker as wearing dark clothing and a face mask, and speaking English aggressively. He expressed his confusion about the motive behind the attack and claimed that the unknown man stabbed him in the stomach before turning his attention to Murphy. Throughout his testimony, Puska consistently maintained his innocence, stating that he tried to assist Murphy but eventually left the scene due to overwhelming stress and fear. He recounted ending up unconscious in a ditch for several hours.
During the proceedings, Puska admitted to having initially lied to gardaí about his involvement and recalled his inability to recall confessing to Murphy’s murder while in the hospital. He explained that he had concerns about his family’s safety, which led him to provide false statements, including claims of being stabbed in Blanchardstown. Puska also denied any intention to alter his appearance and refuted accusations of following women in Tullamore, citing his marital status as a reason for being in the area.
Despite acknowledging memory issues, Puska vehemently denied stabbing Ashling Murphy, asserting, “No, it wasn’t me.” However, during cross-examination, prosecuting counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor challenged Puska, pointing to DNA evidence found under Murphy’s fingernails. Puska argued that Murphy had been wearing gloves and suggested that the presence of DNA could have resulted from their proximity during the incident.
As the trial approaches its conclusion, with only one witness remaining to testify, closing arguments are expected to take place in the coming days. The court will soon deliberate on the evidence presented throughout the trial to determine Puska’s guilt or innocence in the tragic case of Ashling Murphy’s murder
