The partner of Ashling Murphy faced her killer and told him that he hopes he’s in hell a whole half hour before God even knows he’s dead.
Ashling’s devastated boyfriend, sister and mother issued powerful, harrowing victim impact statements in front of a shell-shocked Jozef Puska - as the evil murderer was handed down a mandatory life sentence in court on Friday.
In his sentencing Judge Tony Hunt also told the court that if he had the power to consider a whole life order - leaving Puska in prison until death, he would.
Read more: Evil Ashling Murphy killer Jozef Puska receiving psychiatric support in Dublin prison
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Last week remorseless killer Puska (33) was found guilty by a jury of nine men and three women, after the court heard overwhelming evidence about his hospital confession, his DNA being found at the scene, and his horrendous attempt to defend himself on the witness stand.
On Friday’s sentencing hearing Puska, who put Ashling’s family through a gruelling three week trial, sat stony faced and refused to look at her partner nor her sister when they turned and looked right at him - as they delivered powerful statements to the court.
Ashling’s partner Ryan Casey became tearful and emotional throughout his powerful speech, in which he turned to the killer sitting in the dock and said: “I don’t care where you end up, or what happens to you after today.
“But you smirked, you smiled, and you showed zero remorse throughout this trail, which sums up who you really are, the epitome of pure evil but one thing is for sure, you will never ever harm or touch another woman ever again and when your day of reckoning comes, may you be in hell a whole half hour, before God even knows you’re dead.”
In her own victim impact statement which was read out by family liaison officer Sergeant Lucy McLoughlin, Ashling’s mother Kathleen told of a heartbreaking final conversation she had with her daughter on the day she was killed - warning her not to go and run on by the canal.
“Before she left that morning, Ashling told me she was going to be home from school a little bit later that afternoon.
“She was going for a jog on the canal line after work. I begged her not to go there as it has always made me feel ill at ease and asked her to go jogging out near home.
“She responded, ‘Ah mum, I am 23 years old’. She gave me a big hug as she said, ‘I love you, you’re the best mum in the world’ and walked out the door,” she said.
“As a parent you want your child to go out into this world and live a full and meaningful life yet being acutely aware of how fragile their safety is, wanting to protect them. I couldn’t protect my darling Ashling and now she’s gone forever.”
Ashling’s sister Amy meanwhile said she is haunted by the thought that no one was able to save her sister - and how she fought for her life.
Speaking directly to Puska, who refused to look at her, she said: “I agonise over whether you had already inflicted your first blow before she was hurled off the canal pavement. Had you time to place your bike down into the ditch as you knew she had already sustained a fatal injury and the rest was yet to come.
“Ashling's last ten minutes on this earth must have felt like the longest ten minutes of her existence as she fought for her life. You stole her life, you took her voice, you robbed us of our family of five.”
Following the incredible statements Judge Tony Hunt said there was nothing further that he could add. He told the court that Puska’s sentence was “richly deserved” before saying that the one question that remains unanswered is “the why.”
He said that "unless that becomes known, the question of your safe return to society must be an open one." He then told the four prison officers watching Puska that they could “take him away” - before the shameless killer, who remained silent throughout the hearing, was led away to begin his life sentence.
Outside court Chief Superintendent Anthony Lonergan from the Laois Offaly Garda Division praised the school teacher's family for “the courage, the dignity, the resilience and the strength” they have shown throughout the trial, which he described as being exemplary.
He added that “the investigation team were professional and steadfast in their determination that the person responsible for Ashling’s murder would be brought to justice.”
Earlier the packed courtroom was filled with emotion as Ashling’s partner Ryan delivered a memorable and harrowing statement - charting how he first met her, the pain he feels every day, and their many plans for the future.
He said that they first met in September 2013 at a rugby club disco, and how their relationship bloomed in December 2016. Their relationship he said continued for the next five years and was “filled with nothing but so much love, happiness, joy, adventure, trust and most importantly respect.
“It was quite simply, heaven on earth. I never could have imagined it being possible to fall for someone so quickly and as much at such a young age. What we had was very very special and we both knew it,” he said.
“We had gone through and experienced so much together and made so many beautiful memories as we practically grew up together. Honestly, Ashling knew me better than I knew myself.”
Speaking about the future, Ryan told how he and Ashling had plans to move to Galway and to build their own home, get married and have children someday.
“We had made so many plans together such as moving in together, starting our careers, travelling the world together, building a house together, having kids and starting a family, proposing to her, getting married, the list just goes on and on,” he said.
“We often discussed how many kids we’d love to have and how they’d all be mighty little hurlers or camogie players and even better musicians. In terms of marriage, there was just no question, I was going to marry the girl of my dreams and my soulmate.”
He went on to speak about the horrific events of January 12, 2022 and how just days earlier they had their final goodbye - not hugging, because Covid was in the household - something he now deeply regrets.
Speaking about the pain he suffers he said: Everything that I ever wanted in life, every single plan that I had in life is now gone and cannot be brought back. Ashling was simply everything to me, and this is what I’ve lost, I’ve simply lost everything, Ashling was just everything,” he said.
“The pain of losing someone who is so important to you is indescribable. It’s a pain that I cannot describe. I never knew that there was a pain as severe and long lasting as the physical and emotional pain that comes with losing the most important person in your life, and especially in such a horrific, senseless, and just beyond evil act by such an insignificant lowest of the low waste of life.
“It just doesn’t make any sense to me how somebody who is just so insignificant, worthless, lowest of the low, burden to society and overall, a waste of life, can completely and permanently destroy so many people’s lives by taking the life of a person who is the complete opposite, a life with meaning, a life with dreams, a life of love and compassion, respect, a person who contributed to society in the best ways possible.”
Ryan told the court that over the past 22 months he has often been unable to sleep at night, how he sits at a shrine he made for Ashling and how “every night, when I get into bed, I say to Ashling that I’m one more day closer to seeing her again.”
He also told how he is unable to even look at knives - as they bring his thoughts back to what happened to Ashling.
“I now hate knives, I hate holding knives, I even hate looking at them, I still have to use them to eat but every single time I’m finished I just put it away from me immediately because I cannot stop my mind from wandering no matter how hard I try,” he said.
Ryan said he and Ashling’s family were now starting their own life sentence - one with no parole. “Ashling was only 23 years old. She was still so young. She had so much more life and love to give.
“I think everybody can agree that 23 years can go by in the blink of an eye and yet the maximum sentence for taking someone’s entire life and completely destroying the lives of their entire family in this country isn’t even 23 years,” he said.
“This quite simply has to be taken into consideration when sentencing this absolute indescribable waste of life by sentencing him to the absolute maximum number of years that’s possible, which in my opinion, in this country is still nowhere near enough.”
Turning to Puska he said that the murderer will never have any idea “what you have stolen from us” or “how much Ashling meant to us.”
“Because of you, I’ve lost my Ashling. Because of you, I’ve lost everything I’ve ever wanted in life.Because of you, I’ll never get to marry my soulmate,” he said.
In a beautiful tribute to her daughter Ashling’s mother Kathleen said she was “one in a million,” a “loving caring” person who “always had a gentle big smile for everyone.”
“Our house was alive with music every night as she played her fiddle. I miss her sweet music in our home. It breaks my heart,” she said.
“My heart broke the moment I heard the bad news that Ashling was murdered. It was like having a stroke, my heart was ripped from my body,” she added.
“My memory was affected. My motivation, drive and love for life is gone forever. There is such a void in our house and in our life it is horrendous. I can’t bear it. I am no longer able for big crowds of people or small talk.”
Ms Murphy said she used to go out for a walk or a jog after dinner on a Sunday - but she doesn’t do so anymore as “I am too afraid of that monster.”
“His actions will always be in the back of my mind. People say you are doing great but underneath I am just barely existing from day to day.
“People also say she is in a better place now. This I know, she didn’t want to go. It was not her time. She would want to be here on this earth with Ryan, our family and her first-class students, living life to the fullest,” she said.
“On the night that heartbreaking news came to our doorstep, Ashlings untouched dinner was found in the bottom of the oven by her uncle Des as he went to fill the fire. All the simplicities of life were destroyed in an instant and the sudden realisation dawned on us that she would never walk through the door of our home again.”
“I would give our house, car and every penny I have to have our beautiful Ashling with us,” she said.
“This was a random unprovoked attack. I believe this coward came from behind and he didn’t face her. Ashling didn’t stand a chance against this evil monster that was armed with a knife.
“Why someone could go out and brutally murder a young woman who they have never met before is totally incomprehensible. His actions must have consequences. He should never see the light of day again. How can his family look at him after he inflicted this unforgivable act?”
In her own victim impact statement Ashling’s sister Amy spoke about how they continue to set the dinner table for five people every day - and how she was the glue that held the family together.
She also spoke of Ashling’s love for music and said: “Musicians of all ages were welcomed into our home every week to learn and absorb Ashling's talent and passion for music and listen to her stories, hanging onto her every word. The eerie quietness that now remains in the house is deafening.”
Speaking about Ashling’s role as a school teacher she said: “Ashling was born to be a teacher and loved every second of it, be that in a school classroom or in her music lessons.
“She personified all the qualities any mother or father would want in their child's teacher. Ms. Murphy had 28 first class students and was like a second mammy to them, always going above and beyond to make sure they met their full potential and enjoyed school life.”
“ It breaks our hearts that she was stolen from the many wonderful students she made an impact on, who are now left broken-hearted at her sudden departure. A void which cannot be filled.”
Amy told how the family eventually got Ashling’s car back from gardai - and told of the moment she opened the car door.
“My heart sank when I opened the front passenger door to find a half-eaten slice of toast and half drank mug of tea along with her handbag, teaching supplies and a hurl sitting in the front seat. All signs of a young woman preoccupied with the comings and goings of her busy, everyday life,” she said.
Paying tribute to her sister she added: “Our lives were enormously enriched because of Ashling. She was charismatic, compassionate and her infectious laugh could light up any room. As siblings do, she could roast myself or Cathal with some of her best one-liners, however she never sought to be the centre of attention.
“She had the ability to strike up conversation with anyone irrespective of their age and made them feel like they genuinely had a friend in her. Her zest for life was palpable to anybody that was in her company.
“She did so much for absolutely everyone, yet no one was there when she needed them most, including her family. We would have done anything to be there by her side to protect her, hold her hand and catch her tears.”
Amy also told of the impact of the trial on her and the family and her hatred for Jozef Puska.
“ I have never felt hatred like this. We were not raised to be like this, our parents instilled core values in us, taught us right from wrong and to be respectful of others, but these actions against Ashling have permanently and indefinitely tainted our outlook on society forever more.
“Up until 12th January 2022, we saw the best in humanity, now we are cautious and nervous. Now, we look over our shoulders everywhere we go and are suspicious of strangers. It is so very difficult to trust people now. To open our door, to welcome people in.”
“At night we cannot sleep, we hear her cries and screams that were silenced by injustice, watch her tears shed and envision the suffering that she endured while bravely fighting her vicious and vile murderer, Jozef Puska,” she added.
Directing her comments to Puska she said: “This inhumane act of depravity highlights to us how naïve we were to the dangers lingering in our society. One need not travel to the depths of inner cities to be subject to the extremes of criminality. We were blissfully unaware that we were living amongst total evil and he was right under our noses in our community – practically on our doorstep in fact.
“Crossing a national border does not automatically instil a moral code in a person. You were given an Irish welcome and supported by the state to allow you to reside here. You repaid this by brutally murdering a beautiful talented girl who contributed so much to society.
“We are relieved that after today, we do not have to spend any more time in the vicinity of this vile human being. Your lies and deceit knows no bounds.
“At no point did you make efforts to take responsibility for your actions. Quite the contrary really, you sat in this very seat and gave evidence before the court demanding your innocence.
“To add insult to injury, you proceeded to spin a ludicrous web of lies suggesting you were in fact helping Ashling in her dying moments and not inflicting these deadly injuries. I am in total disbelief that such evil could attempt to masquerade as a good Samaritan. Shame on him for disrespecting the memory of Ashling like that.”
Amy said that by not pleading guilty Puska put her family through a trial where every single detail was heard - and where he smirked and smiled during some of the most gruesome details.
“We were totally disturbed by Josef Puska’s demeanour as Dr. Sallyanne Collis read out details of the autopsy report. Smiling and smirking, you appeared to get some enjoyment out of hearing the harrowing evidence of Ashling's injuries,” she said.
“Your total lack of empathy and remorse will forever haunt me and only reaffirms that evil is real, and it might be behind us at any point. Sitting through this trial hearing the harrowing details of this case has been traumatising,” she added.
“Seeing Ashling's blood-soaked white t-shirt and GAA half-zip produced in court is a moment that will haunt me for the rest of my days.”
Amy said the loss of Ashling has left her family’s hearts in an immeasurable state of sadness.
“At night we cannot sleep, we are consumed by what can only be described as nightmares, replaying the horrific events of the 12th of January with an irrepressible feeling of guilt that we weren’t there to save her,” she said.
“This monster trespassed into our lives and stole the person most important to us in the most unforgivable way.
“We are repulsed at this grotesque act and the manner in which Ashling was taken from us. It is nothing short of pure torture thinking of the terror Ashling must have felt being thrown down into that deep dark undergrowth and that he was the last person she saw on this earth, the utmost evil she has ever encountered in her entire life.
“Hell, in my wildest imagination, doesn’t come close to the suffering that Ashling endured. Ashling died alone, petrified, frightened and injured by the malicious and inhumane brutalities of Jozef Puska,” she said.
“Ashling filled her life with positivity. It’s hard to imagine the glow of her bright personality being diminished, strike by strike, with each stab wound.
“We have 23 years of memories with Ashling, 23 years of lessons, of love and of laughter. Now, we must endure years of life without her.”
“There are no roadmaps to life but I can assure you of this. After today, I will never, ever give Josef Puska the privilege that I am thinking about him. He shall not live rent free in the back of my mind.
However, I am and will forever be consumed by Ashling, her warmth, her beauty, the meaning she brought to life. That is both the hardest pill to swallow and the greatest honour I will wear in this life.”
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