In a chilling revelation at the trial of 33-year-old Jozef Puska, accused of the murder of school teacher Ashling Murphy, witnesses testified to unsettling encounters near the crime scene. Ann Marie Kelly, a primary school teacher, recounted being followed by a man on a bicycle in Tullamore, Co Offaly, less than two hours before Murphy’s body was discovered.

Kelly described feeling intimidated as the man stared at her while cycling slowly behind her. Alarmed, she contacted the Gardaí after hearing about Murphy’s murder, as she believed the man following her might be connected. The prosecution emphasised the eerie nature of the man’s actions, alleging that he appeared to be deliberately intimidating her.

The court also heard from Beata Borowska, who was seen on CCTV walking towards Tesco in Tullamore with Puska cycling behind her. While Borowska had no awareness of being followed, her testimony added another layer to the prosecution’s claim of suspicious behavior by the accused.

Earlier in the trial, paramedics detailed injuries on Puska, including puncture wounds to his abdomen and scratches on his face and hands. These injuries were discovered at an apartment in Dublin the day after Murphy’s killing. Paramedics noted the wounds were not actively bleeding, suggesting they were not fresh.

Two additional witnesses reported seeing a man in dark clothing behaving suspiciously along the bypass outside Tullamore on the night of the murder. Niamh Arthur and Roy Jennings both described encountering a man whose appearance raised concerns, with Jennings later realising the individual resembled the suspect in the case.

The trial continues