Ashling Murphy trial: Murder accused had scratched face and ‘did not want to talk too much’ when he called to friend’s home, court told

A man accused of the murder of Ashling Murphy was wet, his face was scratched and did not want to talk too much when he called to a friend’s home hours after Ms Murphy’s body was found, the Central Criminal Court has been told.

Rostislav Pokuta said Jozef Puska called to his home in Tullamore about 9pm on the night of January 12th 2022, asking to be driven to his home at Mucklagh, outside Tullamore.

He was giving evidence on Tuesday in the continuing trial of Mr Puska (33), of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly. A native of Slovakia living in Ireland 12 years, Mr Puska has, through an interpreter, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Murphy (23), at Cappincur, Tullamore, on January 12th 2022.

The jury has heard Ms Murphy died as a result of 11 stab wounds to her neck.

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Under direct examination by Anne Marie Lawlor SC, for the DPP, Mr Pokuta said he told gardaí on January 24th 2022 that Mr Puska had come to his home at Church View, Tullamore, around 9pm on January 12th 2022.

He asked Mr Puska what the story was and Mr Puska had said he had a fight or something in the town but did not say with whom. Mr Puska asked for a bottle of water and to drop him to his home in Mucklagh. Mr Puska was wet, his face was scratched, he did not want to talk too much and appeared “very scared”, he said. “It wasn’t like him.”

He agreed to bring him home and, during the journey, asked Mr Puska maybe 20 times what happened because he “didn’t look right” but Mr Puska did not want to talk to him and did not answer, he said. Mr Puska was wearing a black tracksuit with “white lines” on the side, he said.

He agreed, when speaking to gardaí on January 21st, he had not told them about Mr Puska calling to his house on the night of January 12th.

Mr Pokuta, a native of Slovakia who has lived with his family in Tullamore since 2006, said he was working as a bus driver doing school runs and was worried about his own family because there was “a lot going on” following the killing of Ms Murphy. People were putting material on social media and he feared, if he said anything, people might come to his house and “do something”.

Mr Pokuta was shown CCTV of the area outside his house on the night of January 12th and he said a person at the door was Mr Puska.

Under cross-examination by Michael Bowman SC, for Mr Puska, he agreed he told gardaí on January 21st he had not seen any of the Puska brothers since January 11th.

He agreed he returned to the Garda station on January 24th and said he had not told the truth on January 21st because he was afraid for his family and the small children he was transporting.

He was conscious of being Slovakian although he regarded himself as “half Irish” and feared people might take their children off his bus.

When counsel asked was the atmosphere “ugly” around Tullamore, he said; “More than that.”

He was aware of social media posts about a Romanian man and posts referring to the gardaí having caught the killer of Ms Murphy, he said.

He agreed with counsel, when Mr Puska came to his house, he looked as if he was hurt and said he was holding “something”, maybe his head or his stomach.

In reply to the judge, counsel said his instructions were Mr Puska had an injury when he called to Mr Pokuta’s house.

Detective Sergeant Ciarán Byrne said he accessed data from a Fitbit device linked to Ms Murphy and used it to plot the route Ashling Murphy walked along the canal on January 12th 2022.

The device recorded her pace from 14.52pm remained fairly consistent until about 15.23pm when it began decreasing and showing erratic movements, he said. No heart rate values were recorded after 15.31pm and at 16.04pm the device no longer recorded any pace, he said.

Under cross-examination, he agreed with Mr Bowman the device indicated Ms Murphy was moving up to about 5km an hour at 15.31pm when she could not have been. It takes time for the device to record a zero stop, he said.

When the judge asked what ramifications such evidence had for the earlier timings, the witness said the device indicated a brisk walk up to 15.21pm.

Mr Bowman said Ms Murphy was placed in a stationary position on the canal footpath for some time up to 16.04pm and paramedics ceased to work on her before then.

The witness said watches with such devices are said to give a plus or minus range of ten per cent.

In re-examination, he was satisfied there was consistency between readings from Ms Murphy’s Fitbit app and her smartwatch.

Sgt Paul McDonnell, attached to Blanchardstown Garda station, said he and a colleague went to St James’s Hospital at 14.35pm on January 13th as part of investigations into a stabbing in Blanchardstown the previous day involving two victims. A person had presented at the hospital saying they had been victim of a stabbing in Blanchardstown, he said.

When he saw Mr Puska in a room, he could see a large number of cuts on his hands and forehead, he said.

They were aware Mr Puska was a Slovakian national, it was apparent his English was not very fluent and they put an interpreter arrangement in place, he said. Mr Puska told them he was driven from Tullamore by a friend to near Dublin’s Heuston Station the previous evening and went by taxi to the Blanchardstown area but was unable to give the precise destination.

Mr Puska had said he was going to meet a woman but could not tell him her identity, the witness said.

Mr Puska had said, when he got out of the taxi, he was immediately set upon by two men. He said his mobile phone could not be located following the assault, he was very shook after it and went to his parents’ address in Crumlin but could not say how he got there.

The witness said Mr Puska nodded when he asked him about taking a photo of his left hand. He had “very distinctive” marks on that hand and his right hand and forehead had the same markings, he said.

They concluded the conversation when Mr Puska’s medical monitor went off, he said.

A doctor whom he asked for information about the injuries told him such information could not be divulged, he said.

After he and his colleague spoke their superior officer, Det Inspector James McCartan, their superior made contact with gardaí in Tullamore, the jury heard.

Sgt McDonnell said he was later told by the hospital doctor a search warrant would be required when he asked about accessing CCTV and Mr Puska’s belongings.

Under cross-examination by Mr Bowman, he agreed the conversation with Mr Puska ended when his monitor went off and he was obviously in physical discomfort.

He agreed he could understand a doctor might not disclose personal information about a patient.

Ms Murphy’s parents, Raymond and Kathleen, her sister Amy and brother Cathal, were again in court on Tuesday. Members of Mr Puska’s family were also in attendance.

The trial continues on Wednesday.