Today, the Ashling Murphy murder trial entered its thirteenth day at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.

Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, County Offaly is accused of murdering Ms Murphy and denies the charge.

To follow all things related to the trial, you can listen to Newstalk Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney's daily podcast All Rise: The Ashling Murphy Murder Trial.

Stabbed by another man

Today, Mr Puska returned to the witness box and was asked further questions about the day that Ms Murphy died.

“He claims he was attacked along the Grand Canal in Tullamore by a man wearing a surgical mask and that a woman came along and that she too was attacked by this man and he was actually trying to help her that afternoon,” Mr Greaney told The Hard Shoulder. 

“He said he had no idea why he was attacked, that he didn’t know the man, that he just pulled a knife on him as he cycled along the canal.”

Mr Puska told the court that the man threatened to kill him and that he stabbed him a number of times in the stomach.

It was at this point, Mr Puska claimed, that a woman, Ms Murphy, appeared.

“He said he didn’t know her but that she said something to the man with the knife and he claimed they then disappeared into the bushes, he said that he heard some shouting, so he went over to see what was going on.

“When he did, he claimed he saw the man attacking her in the bushes. He told the jury that he shouted at the man and that when he did, the man came towards him, so he said that he backed off.

“He said the man then ran off up the canal.”

Mr Puska claimed he then went over to Ms Murphy and tried to help her but left because he was scared the man would come back.

Jozef Puska has told the jury at his murder trial that he was stabbed by a man along the canal in Tullamore.

He claims he saw the man then attack a woman in the bushes.

After the man ran away, he claims he went over to her and tried to help her.

— Frank Greaney (@FrankGreaney) November 3, 2023

Mr Puska said he made his way to a friend’s house, who then took him home and then he went to his parents’ home in Dublin.

The next morning he woke up in severe pain and was taken to hospital.

“He said that he couldn’t recall whether or not he spoke with some male detectives,” Mr Greaney said.

“He refused to accept that he killed Ashling Murphy and insisted that he didn’t harm her that day.”

The trial will resume on Monday.

Main image: Flowers left in tribute to Ashling Murphy at Leinster House on January 17th 2022. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie