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last yr.

Jozef Puska Found Guilty of Murdering Irish Schoolteacher Ashling Murphy as She Jogged by Canal

The Slovak national, who pleaded not guilty and will be sentenced on November 17, claimed he was attempting to assist Murphy during her attack. However, evidence including eyewitness accounts and DNA matched to Puska refuted his claims, prompting a quick unanimous guilty verdict by the jury.

Overview

  • Jozef Puska has been unanimously found guilty of murdering Irish schoolteacher, Ashling Murphy, who was fatally assaulted while jogging along a canal in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Despite Puska's plea of not guilty, claiming he tried to assist Murphy after she was attacked by another man, the jury was swift in their judgment due to strong evidence including eyewitness testimonies and DNA match.
  • Eyewitness Jenna Stack reported seeing Murphy’s legs kicking from underneath Puska as he held her down, and Puska admitted to killing Murphy while in hospital, a statement his defense later attributed to his medication, language barrier, and unfamiliar surroundings.
  • Murphy fought back against her attacker, evidenced by defensive wounds and Puska's DNA found under her fingernails, further solidifying Puska's connection to the crime.
  • Murphy's murder provoked strong reactions, prompting vigils across Ireland and the UK, and the case has put a spotlight on the ongoing issue of violence against women in society.