The jury is expected to hear further closing speeches tomorrow.
Closing speeches are underway in the trial of four members of Jozef Puska’s family, who are facing charges arising from the investigation into Ashling Murphy’s murder.
His two brothers, Marek and Lubomir Puska, are accused of withholding information from gardai; while their wives are accused of aiding and abetting after the event.
In January 2022, Ashling Murphy was murdered in Tullamore by Jozef Puska.
And in relation to the case against the four on trial here, the prosecuting barrister, Anne Marie Lawlor SC, told the jurors that the majority, if not all, of the evidence was before them, in the transcripts of their garda interviews.
Turning to Jozef Puska’s brother, Marek, she said it was her case that he initially gave gardai a yarn, and that he withheld information, without reasonable excuse.
Ms Lawlor SC accused him, and his brother Lubomir, of not giving that information, for fear it would implicate Jozef Puska.
Marek Puska’s barrister raised the defence of reasonable excuse, claiming he was protecting himself, out of fear of implicating himself in what his brother did.
He also said there was a real fear in the immigrant community in Tullamore at the time; and said it was reasonable to conclude that Marek didn’t believe Jozef did it.
The jury is expected to hear further closing speeches from the other accused persons tomorrow.
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