In a chilling courtroom testimony, a woman described a horrifying encounter she witnessed on the fateful day Irish teacher Ashling Murphy lost her life. Ashling, 23, was tragically killed while she was jogging along a canal walkway in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, 2022. Jozef Puska, 33, stands accused of this heinous crime, steadfastly pleading not guilty to the charge of murder.
The courtroom at the Criminal Courts of Justice buzzed with tension as the prosecution began to weave their case using maps, CCTV footage, and witness accounts from that dreadful day. One such witness, Jenna Stack, a teacher from Tullamore, took the stand. Jenna, accompanied by her friend Aoife, had been on a run along the canal around 3:15 pm when they stumbled upon a scene that would haunt them forever.
Jenna vividly recalled the moment she noticed a peculiar bike abandoned in a ditch. Alarmed by rustling sounds emanating from a dense hedge nearby, Jenna approached cautiously. What she saw sent shivers down her spine – a man, seemingly crouched over another person, both partially obscured by the foliage. The victim, Ashling, was desperately kicking out, a silent plea for help. Jenna’s heart raced as she observed the assailant’s menacing demeanor. She felt a surge of fear as he barked at her to stay away. Jenna, fearing the worst, bravely declared her intention to call the Gardai, determined to rescue the defenseless victim. The confrontation lasted a mere 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity of terror.
During cross-examination, the defense attempted to cast doubt on Jenna’s account. Michael Bowman SC, the defense barrister, suggested that the man Jenna saw might have been attempting to assist Ashling, not harm her. He posited that the man’s shout was not aggressive but a cry of pain from briar-induced injuries. However, Jenna stood her ground, asserting that Ashling’s movements were desperate cries for help, not the actions of someone being assisted.
Another witness, Aoife Marron, corroborated Jenna’s account. She recounted their shared sense of unease upon discovering the abandoned bike and the alarming noises from the hedge. As they confronted the situation, they shouted, prompting the assailant to emerge momentarily before they fled in fear.
Enda Molloy, a local cyclist, provided a crucial perspective. He described the frantic exchange he witnessed between two distressed women and two men from Waterways Ireland near Digby bridge. As he approached the scene, he was informed of a potential attack. Investigating further, he discovered Ashling’s lifeless body in the undergrowth. His immediate action was to call the authorities, recognizing the gravity of the situation.
The testimony of Charlie Kelly, a Waterways Ireland worker, added weight to the prosecution’s case. He recounted how he and his colleague were alerted by two distraught women about a woman being attacked. Rushing to the scene, they discovered Ashling’s bicycle and, tragically, her lifeless body, confirming their worst fears.
The courtroom was left in stunned silence as the harrowing accounts unfolded, painting a vivid picture of the horrifying events of that January day. The prosecution’s case, bolstered by the courageous testimonies of witnesses like Jenna Stack, sought to bring justice for Ashling Murphy, a young life tragically cut short.
