33-year-old Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Offaly, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of the school teacher in Tullamore on January 12th, 2022.
It's claimed a 33-year-old man accused of the murder of Ashling Murphy admitted to killing her.
The Prosecution provided its opening statement in its case against Jozef Puska - of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Offaly - before the Central Criminal Court this morning.
It's alleged Ashling Murphy was stabbed 11 times in the neck while she was exercising along the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Offaly, on January 12th 2022.
Opening the case this morning, Ms. Anne Marie Lawlor for the DPP told the jury of nine men and three women that it is their case that Mr. Puska murdered Ms. Murphy on that date - which he denies.
She said they were not known to one another, and had no interaction of any kind prior to the alleged incident.
Ms. Lawlor claimed that Mr. Puska through an interpreter told Gardaí in St James Hospital "I did it, I murdered, I am the murderer", before later saying it wasn't intentional.
Also in interviews with Gardaí, it's alleged he said "I’m sorry, I see girl I never see before. I have knife I use for chain. When she pass I cut her. I cut her neck, she panic, I panic, will I go for 10 years."
Ms Lawlor alleges Mr Puska’s DNA was found under Ms Murphy’s fingernails – and that there is a 1 in 14 thousand chance it belongs to anyone else.
The jury were told they will see photographs of the scene along the Grand Canal in Tullamore, which Anne Marie Lawlor said ‘was covered in briars’.
She added this is was significant, and claimed that Mr Puska had cuts on every exposed part of his body, which Ms Lawlor alleges is ‘consistent with leaving the scene’.
The jury also heard evidence relating to maps in various areas relating to the case
The case will resume tomorrow morning.
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