Ashling Murphy murder convict Jozef Puska to be sentenced to life in prison

• Published date: 10 November 2023
• Author: Paul Healy
• Publication title: DublinLive (Ireland)

The 33-year-old was whisked back to jail yesterday evening after a jury of nine men and three women found him guilty. Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the hearing there was "evil in the courtroom" and that the killer's "day of reckoning" was coming

The jury found Puska, of Lynally Grove in Mucklagh, Co Offaly, guilty in a unanimous decision after just over two hours of deliberation, following a three-week trial before the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.

They agreed with the prosecution's case that he brutally stabbed Ashling 11 times and slashed her neck while she was out for a run on the Grand Canal in Cappincur, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on the afternoon of January 12 last year.

Following the verdict, Ashling's devastated brother and boyfriend gave powerful statements outside court, referring to Puska as a "vicious monster" who can now never harm another woman again.

The defendant, dressed in a light grey suit and white shirt, slowly put his head down when the verdict was read out.

He is now set to be jailed for the mandatory term of life in prison.

Thanking the jury for their verdict, Judge Hunt said: "We have evil in this room, no doubt about that."

He added the manner in which Ashling had been killed was "enough to make you physically ill" and told the jury he was glad they hadn't...