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

On January 12th, 2022, the primary school teacher died after she went for a run along the Grand Canal in Tullamore, County Offaly. 

Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Offaly is on trial for her murder and has pleaded not guilty. 

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.

Speaking to The Hard Shoulder, Mr Greaney said the court had heard from Jenna Stack who said she had been out for a run with a friend on the day Ashling died. 

“[Ms Stack told the court] they heard some rustling coming from the hedgerow and she said it sounded like someone was struggling,” Mr Greaney said. 

“So, she moved in closer, started shouting into the hedge, she said the noise continued, she said at this point she became frightened, she moved even closer and when she did, she said she saw the back of a jacket… and she said the man who was wearing it, whom she described as being crouched over, turned around at this point. 

“She said that he was holding a person down and that judging by the bottom half of that person’s clothing, which was all she could see, she figured it was a woman.” 

Ms Stack told the court the man told her to “go away” and that the experience had been “terrifying”. 

Under cross-examination, defense barrister Michael Bowman put it to Ms Stack that Ms Murphy had reached out and had both hands on Mr Puzka’s forearm because he was trying to stop the bleeding.

Ms Stack said, ‘No, I knew there was something wrong, I could tell by her.’

The trail is expected to last for up to five weeks and Newstalk Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney will provide a daily update via the All Rise: The Ashling Murphy Murder Trial podcast. 

You can listen to it here:

Main image: Candles lit by members of a large crowd outside Dail Éireann, 14-01-2021. Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews