In a Dublin court, Jenna Stack, a teacher from Tullamore, recounted a chilling encounter during the trial of Jozef Puska, charged with the murder of Irish teacher Ashling Murphy. Ms. Murphy, 23, was fatally assaulted while jogging near Tullamore on January 12, 2022.

Ms. Stack detailed the events of that fateful day, explaining to the court that, during a run along the canal with her friend Aoife, she discovered a man in the hedge crouched over someone. Identified as Jozef Puska, the man allegedly ordered Ms. Stack to “get away” before she and her friend left to raise the alarm.

Describing the scene, Ms. Stack mentioned hearing loud rustling and a lot of noise from the hedge, initially thinking someone had fallen off a bike. As she approached, she saw a person crouched over another, wearing what appeared to be a “navy bomber padded jacket” with an emblem.

In a harrowing account, Ms. Stack reported that the person on the ground, later identified as Ashling Murphy, seemed to be struggling and kicking, as if crying out for help. Fearing for Ms. Murphy’s safety, Ms. Stack stated that the man, later identified as Jozef Puska, aggressively shouted at her to “get away.”

The prosecution argued that Ms. Stack’s identification of Mr. Puska from a lineup was similar to another suspect. The defence, led by barrister Michael Bowman, suggested that Mr. Puska might have been endeavouring to assist Ms. Murphy, not harm her. Mr. Puska, through a Slovakian interpreter, had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

The trial also revealed that aerial photographs taken by Det Sgt Paul Curran on January 13 were presented as evidence. The court explored various aspects of the case, including the transportation of Ms. Murphy to the hospital and the cause of death conclusion reached by a pathologist, which Mr. Puska reportedly accepted.

As the trial unfolds, the court is faced with the delicate task of reconciling eyewitness accounts and the defence’s alternative interpretations in the pursuit of justice for Ashling Murphy.