The trial of 33-year-old Jozef Puska, accused of the murder of Ashling Murphy, is due to get underway before a jury this morning.

Nine men and three women were sworn in to hear the case against Mr Puska, who denies murdering the 23-year-old schoolteacher.

Mr Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, County Offaly, was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court yesterday.

The case is due before Mr Justice Tony Hunt at 10:30am this morning.

All going to plan, the prosecution, led by Ms Anne Marie Lawlor for the DPP, will outline its case against Jozef Puska.

Yesterday she said there would be multiple witnesses from the Tullamore area, along with garda witnesses from the midlands and Dublin areas.

The opening statements are not technically evidence, but they do give both the prosecution and the defence their first chances to address the jury.