Rage as Ashling Murphy’s accused killer arrives in court
Angry scenes have confronted the man accused of murdering a young school teacher who was allegedly strangled to death while out on a run.
A man has appeared in court in Ireland charged with the murder of Ashling Murphy, a young teacher who was allegedly strangled to death while out jogging.
Jozef Puska, 31, from Lynally Grove in County Offaly, in cental Ireland, was brought before Tullamore District Court just before 8.15pm local time.
A large crowd heckled Puska as he was taken from an unmarked police car and brought into the courthouse, The Sun reports.
Wearing a grey tracksuit and a black mask, he sat head bowed for the two-minute hearing and didn’t speak during the proceedings.
Detective Sergeant David Scahill told Judge Catherine Staines that he arrested the accused at 7.22pm at the police station in Tullamore, in central Ireland, where the young woman was allegedly killed.
At 7.45pm, the officer said he charged him with Ms Murphy’s murder.
Puska was asked in the police station if he wanted to make a reply after caution and he said “No”.
The court was told that he was earning €200 ($A313.50) a week in disability benefits. Judge Staines granted him legal aid.
She adjourned the case until January 26, when Puska will appear by video link before Cloverhill District Court.
She also granted a request to have a Slovakian interpreter appear for all court hearings.
Supporters of Ms Murphy’s family stood at the back of the elevated courtroom and held up framed pictures of the slain primary school teacher.
Puska spent a few minutes speaking with his solicitor after the case had ended.
A few hundred people had gathered at the steps of the courtroom to see him taken from the building.
Gardai – Irish police – had to create a cordon as Puska was put in the back of a marked Garda van.
The large crowd jeered and shouted obscenities at the murder accused before he was driven away, with a number banging on the side of the van.
He was taken into custody on Tuesday before he was charged last night, local time.
A second man who was arrested on suspicion of withholding information and was released without charge last night.
A file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Slain teacher laid to rest
Ms Murphy, 23, was laid to rest yesterday after an emotional funeral mass in Tullamore.
Schoolchildren sombrely held red roses and pictures of their beloved teacher as her remains were brought to the church.
President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina at the start of the funeral mass embraced Ashling’s devastated dad Raymond, mum Kathleen, sister Amy, brother Cathal and boyfriend Ryan Casey.
The service began with music performed by members of a local traditional Irish music group, teaching colleagues and friends of Ms Murphy.
Huge crowds gathered for the funeral, as children outside the church held photographs of Ms Murphy and roses.
The message next to Ms Murphy’s image read: “Fly high in the sky, Our shining light.”
Symbols representing Ms Murphy’s life were brought to the altar during her funeral, including a fiddle, a Kilcormac/Killoughey camogie jersey, a family picture, a schoolbook and her photo.
Father Michael Meade told the service that Ms Murphy’s family had been “robbed of your most precious gift”.
“Together we grieve, together we pray, together we hurt – this is the heavy price we pay for love,” he told mourners.
“We gather as one family to be with, to support by our prayer and our presence, those whose darkness is deep, whose pain is raw and fierce.
“Kathleen and Ray, Cathal, Amy and her boyfriend, Ryan – you have been robbed of your most precious gift – a gift that gave only joy and love, fun and laughter to many beyond your family.
“The issues raised in many ways and by many voices since this horrible act of violence invaded all our lives will, we pray, continue to evolve and bring the change we need so much, to simply give and show respect.”
Graveside tribute by devastated boyfriend
In an emotional graveside tribute, the 23-year-old’s boyfriend of five years Ryan Casey said she was, is and will always be his soulmate after her devastated family laid the talented teacher to rest.
Addressing a crowd at his girlfriend’s graveside, a distraught Mr Casey broke down as he described his partner as a “shining light” and the “greatest love of my life”.
He said: “It’s simply not possible to explain what Ashling meant to myself or her family and friends in these few brief words.
“What I would like to say at this moment in time is that Ashling was in fact our shining light.
“She loved her mum Kathleen, her father Ray, big sister Amy and her big brother Cathal and all of her family and friends so much.
“She was always there, always willing to help anybody, anywhere, at any time and always put herself last.
“She had so many hobbies and talents which all combined to make her an incredible, loving, beautiful person we were all so lucky to know and loved to spend as much time with as possible.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
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