Trial of man accused of murdering Ashling Murphy postponed until October

The trial of a 32-year-old man accused of murdering school teacher Ashling Murphy has been postponed until the autumn.

Jozef Puska, with an address listed as Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, is charged with murdering the primary school teacher (23) at Cappincur, Tullamore on January 12th, 2022 while she was jogging along the Grand Canal.

Mr Puska was due to go on trial at the Central Criminal Court on June 7th in a case expected to last three weeks.

However, Anne Marie Lawlor SC, prosecuting, informed Mr Justice Paul McDermott on Wednesday that, as the State had received an expert report from the defence, the prosecution would require time to respond and obtain a further report.

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Ms Lawlor asked for the matter to be listed for trial on the first day of the Michaelmas legal term on October 2nd.

Michael Bowman SC, for Mr Puska, said the defence could not stand in the way of the prosecution’s application.

Ms Lawlor said the Murphy family had expected the case to begin in June and were very keen for the matter to proceed “in early course”. Asked by Mr Justice McDermott if there was any prospect of attaining “an earlier report”, Ms Lawlor said there was not.

The judge agreed to a request from the defence to renew an application for a Slovakian interpreter for the new trial date.

Ms Murphy, a talented Traditional Irish musician and recent graduate from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, was working as a teacher at Durrow National School at the time of her death.