Murdered teacher's boyfriend tells killer 'I'll never get to marry my soulmate'

17 November 2023 , 16:03

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Murdered teacher's boyfriend tells killer 'I'll never get to marry my soulmate'

The boyfriend of Ashling Murphy has spoken of his heartache at losing his soulmate and told her killer that because of him, he will never get to marry her.

Ryan Casey gave a victim impact statement at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, Ireland, before Jozef Puska was sentenced to life in prison for murdering the 23-year-old school teacher. Describing the first time they met as teenagers, Mr Casey said he and Ms Murphy "simply couldn't get enough of each other".

He added their relationship was "full with love, trust respect" and "was quite simply heaven on earth". He said they had plans to travel together, build a house, start a family, and get married.

Ashling was just 23 when she was killed

Jozef Puska has been handed a life sentence (Irish Mirror)

Mr Casey said they had talked about how many kids they would have, and imagined they would be "little hurlers and camogie players and even better – musicians". He said it did not make sense to him that someone who is "a burden to society can completely and permanently destroy someone… who is the complete opposite", describing Ms Murphy as "a light with dreams, compassion, respect, a person who contributes to society in the best way possible".

Mr Casey told Puska: "Because of you, I've lost my Ashling. Because if you, I will never get to marry my soulmate. Because of you, I will never see her smile again... I will have to somehow carry on without her." He accused Puska of smirking, smiling and showing "zero remorse during this trial".

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Puska, 33, of Lynally Grove in Mucklagh, Tullamore, had pleaded not guilty. There is a mandatory life sentence for murder, where an application for parole can be made after 12 years. Mr Justice Tony Hunt said there was only one sentence available, and it was "richly deserved". He said Puska's evidence had been "indescribable" and the "one thing we don't know about this case is the why".

Ms Murphy's sister Amy told Puska that he had told a "ludicrous set of lies", and that by pleading not guilty her family had to sit through the evidence of the trial, which she said had "traumatised" the family. She said their nightmare was "replayed" through CCTV, witnesses' testimonies, and descriptions of her wounds, and said that Ashling's blood-soaked GAA jacket, shown in court during the trial, will "haunt me for the rest of my days".

Floral tributes left at the scene of Ashling's murder (Colin Keegan)

"We were totally disturbed by Puska's demeanour," she said, adding that he appeared to smirk and smile during evidence. She said that Puska was a "predator who was not known to her", and told the court that Ashling "did not teach his children and did not report them to Tusla for neglect". She said that in the wake of her sister's murder, deliveries for her arrived and still lay unopened on her bed. "We will never be the same," she said.

Ms Murphy's mother Kathleen said her "heart was ripped" from her body the moment she learned her daughter had been killed. In a victim impact statement read out in court by a detective garda, Mrs Murphy said her "heart broke the moment I heard the bad news Ashling was murdered".

"There is such a void in our home," she said. She said that the actions of Puska "must have consequences" and said "he should never see the light of day again".

She said that before her daughter left the house, she had begged her not to go along the canal, to which Ms Murphy replied "Ah mum, I'm 23 years old" before giving her mother a hug. "(She) said 'I love you, you're the best mum in the world' and walked out the door", the court heard.

Ms Murphy's mother Kathleen and father Raymond, and her brother Cathal were in court for sentencing. Speaking outside court, a senior Garda officer praised Ms Murphy's relatives for their "courage, dignity and resilience" during the trial.

Ashling's brother Cathal (left), her sister Amy (centre) and boyfriend Ryan (right) outside the Central Criminal Court in Dublin (PA)

Garda Chief Superintendent Tony Lonergan said: "Ashling, a school teacher, was out for a walk after work when she was attacked and murdered by Mr Puska. This monstrous crime shocked the nation.

"I want to pay tribute to all the members of An Garda Siochana involved in this investigation, and in particular my colleagues at Tullamore garda station where the investigation was based.

"I also want to thank the community of Tullamore, a compassionate, kind, resilient and generous community. They were of invaluable assistance to An Garda Siochana throughout this investigation, providing us in particular with access to CCTV which was instrumental in building the case against Mr Puska, and to achieving a successful prosecution.

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"The community also has and continues to support Ashling's family. Finally, I would like to pay tribute to Ashling's famly ... the courage, the dignity, the resilience and the strength that they are showing during this ordeal has been exemplary. I want to assure them on behalf of An Garda Siochana that we will continue to support them going forward and give them all the support we can where necessary."

Chiara Fiorillo