Josef Puska is facing a life sentence after being convicted by a unanimous jury verdict today of the murder of Ashling Murphy in Co Offaly early last year.

Jozef Puska had pleaded 'not guilty' to the murder of the 23-year-old school teacher, which occurred at Grand Canal Way, Cappincur, Co Offaly, on January 12th, 2022.

Ashling Murphy drove to Daingean Road car park after school on January 12th before going jogging along the Grand Canal about 2.51pm. Her lifeless body was seen in a bramble covered ditch at Cappincur around 15.30pm.

Ms Murphy had 11 stab wounds in the right side of her neck which caused acute blood loss and her heart to stop.

Neither she nor Puska, were known to each other, the Central Criminal Court heard.

The 33-year-old native of Slovakia has been living in Mucklagh, Co Offaly, since 2015, with his wife and five children.

The jury of nine men and three women were sent out by Justice Tony Hunt at 3.35pm on Wednesday to begin their deliberations and were sent home at 4pm.

They resumed their deliberations at 10.53am on Thursday and it was indicated to the court registrar at 2.05pm, after deliberating for a total of just over two hours, that there was a verdict. All parties were contacted to gather in court and the verdict was delivered at 2.18pm.

“Quite literally, you made sure nobody got away with murder,” the judge said. He exempted the jury from service for 20 years.

As the jury left the courtroom, there was loud applause from the Murphy family and from many others in court. Mrs Murphy held up her daughter’s photo to the jurors, some of whom were in tears.

Justice Hunt told the jury he had to impose a sentence mandated by law – but before that the victim’s family would have an opportunity to provide victim impact statements. He will hear them on November 17th.

"We have evil in this room, no doubt about that,” he said.