He has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
The Central Criminal Court has heard Jozef Puska told Gardaí he was in a fight in Blanchardstown in Dublin on the day Ashling Murphy died.
33-year-old Mr. Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co. Offaly, denies murdering the schoolteacher on January 12th, 2022.
Garda Keith Brennan from Crumlin Garda Station told the jury he was called to an apartment on the Armagh Road in Crumlin, Dublin 12 on the morning of January 13th 2022.
He said he observed Jozef Puska in the bedroom with what appeared to be an injury just below his belly button and with other injuries on his forehead and hands.
He said he asked Mr Puska’s cousin to act as a translator – who told him that Mr Puska claimed to have been in a fight in Blanchardstown the previous evening.
Sgt Paul McDonnell was in the detective unit at Blanchardstown Garda Station at the time, and told the jury he and his colleague visited Mr Puska in St James Hospital.
The court heard the Gardaí woke up Mr Puska, who appeared to be in good humour but it was apparent his English was not at a fluent level.
After asking Mr Puska what happened, Sgt McDonnell said he travelled to Dublin with a friend coming from Tullamore, he got a taxi from Heuston Station to Blanchardstown to meet a woman, and claimed he was set upon and assaulted by two men.
He described his injuries, but the court heard he couldn’t elaborate further.
The Trial continues tomorrow morning.
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