Man receives life sentence for killing Irish teacher Ashling Murphy

Jozef Puska, a 33-year-old man from County Offaly, Ireland, has received a whole life sentence for the murder of Irish schoolteacher Ashling Murphy. Puska was found guilty at a court in Dublin last week after stabbing the 23-year-old 11 times in the neck as she was jogging near Tullamore on January 12, 2022. The shocking death of Ms. Murphy caused widespread shock and led to vigils being held across Ireland and the UK. Judge Tony Hunt described the sentence as "richly deserved." Puska, a Slovak national, had pleaded not guilty to the murder, claiming he was trying to help Ms. Murphy after she was attacked by another man who also stabbed him. However, Puska later confessed to the killing after being admitted to the hospital for treatment to stab wounds. DNA evidence belonging to Puska was found under Ms. Murphy's fingernails, and an eyewitness saw Puska on top of her during the attack. Puska will be moved to Dublin's Mountjoy prison after being separated from other inmates at Cloverhill Prison for his own safety. He is currently undergoing psychiatric supervision following a suicide attempt during the trial. The tragic death of Ms. Murphy has sparked a national conversation on violence against women in Ireland and increased pressure on the government to address the issue.