The Ashling Murphy murder trial officially opened at the Central Criminal Court yesterday 19 months after her death shocked the nation.
Ashling Murphy died when she was attacked while out running along the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly on January 12th, 2022.
33-year-old Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Offaly stands accused of her murder and his trial got underway at the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
To follow all things related to the trial, listen to Newstalk Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney’s daily podcast All Rise: The Ashling Murphy Murder Trial.
Newstalk reporter Stephanie Rohan was in court for Day One of the trial yesterday – she told The Pat Kenny Show proceedings began with the jury being reminded that they are not detectives.
"The 12 jurors arrived shortly after 11am in Court 13 in The Central Criminal Court, and Judge Hunt told them they'll be trying Jozef Puska and returning their verdict of whether he is guilty or not guilty of the murder of Ashling Murphy," she said.
She said Judge Tony Hunt told the jurors they must approach the case with an open mind.
"He said they must not speculate, and he said, almost as bad as speculation is if they were to go and try and inform themselves about what happened," she said.
"He said they were not there as researchers or as detectives, but as the judges of the facts."
Jozef Pushka had an interpreter beside him in the courtroom. The court heard he is originally from Slovakia but has been living in Ireland since 2012.
The Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin city on May 10th 2019. Image: noel bennett / Alamy Stock PhotoStephanie said prosecution opening remarks by Anne-Marie Lawlor revealed what the jurors will see and hear.
"Anne-Marie Lawlor said there'd be considerable evidence about how the accused was involved, she said.
"She spoke about him being seen on CCTV cycling around Tullamore on the day of the alleged incident.
"She said this was for around 90 minutes; she described it as meandering aimlessly.
"The jurors were told they'll see CCTV footage of two women and the accused man close to these women at separate times.
"One of these women was blissfully unaware of him, he did a u-turn, but the second woman would say it's alleged that he was staring at her, he was moving slowly behind her.
"The jury was told this woman will give evidence about how she felt about those movements," she added.
Jozef Puska has pleaded not guilty to murder.
Yesterday the court heard that the accused admitted involvement in her killing under questioning.
It would be alleged he told Gardaí in hospital via an interpreter "I did it, I murdered, I am the murderer", before later saying it wasn't intentional.
The Ashling Murphy Murder Trial is expected to last for up to five weeks.
Newstalk Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney will be in the courtroom throughout and you can get a full, in-depth account of everything that happens by subscribing to All Rise: The Ashling Murphy Murder Trial.