Ashling Murphy's partner 'finally free' as he settles defamation case against BBC

Extra.ie​

7 hours ago

Ryan Casey – the partner of murdered schoolteacher Ashling Murphy – said ­yesterday he is 'finally free' to advocate for a 'better and safer Ireland' after ­settling his High Court claim for defamation against the BBC.
Mr Casey, 27, sued the British broadcaster following an episode of political programme The View that was shown live on November 30, 2023, and on which Irish Times journalist Kitty Holland appeared.
He alleged it contained criticism of the victim impact statement he had given at the sentencing hearing of Jozef Puska, with a suggestion it could excite anti-migrant sentiment. Ashling Murphy and Ryan Casey. Pic: Facebook
Puska, originally from Slovakia, stabbed 23-year-old Ms Murphy 11 times in the neck in a random attack in January 2022 along the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Mr Casey is understood to have received substantial damages, as well as a contribution towards his costs, amounting to a six-figure sum.
In his victim impact statement, he had said: 'It just sickens me to the core that someone can come to this country, be fully supported in terms of social housing, social welfare, and free medical care for over ten years, never hold down a legitimate job and never once contribute to society in any way, shape or form [and] can commit such a horrendous, evil act of incomprehensible violence on such a beautiful, loving and talented person.' Ashling Murphy and Ryan Casey. Pic: Facebook
He added: 'This country needs to wake up; this time, things have got to change.'
In a statement read to the High Court by barrister Alan Keating, the BBC said it acknowledged Mr Casey's personal tragedy, but it stood by the journalism involved.
It said the programme had discussed Mr Ryan's victim impact statement and had debated serious issues of public interest. Ashling Murphy and Ryan Casey. Pic: Collect
'The BBC, however, is happy to clarify that it does not consider Ryan Casey to be a criminal or a racist, or someone guilty of or attempting to incite racial hatred, or someone seeking to pose as a hero of the far right,' the broadcaster said.
'The statement clarifies any unintentional inferences that could have been drawn from the broadcast and has enabled the BBC and Ryan Casey to resolve the matter amicably.'
Ronan Lupton, Mr Casey's barrister, said the case could be struck out by Judge Alex Owens.
Speaking outside court ­yesterday, Mr Casey – who met Ms Murphy at an underage disco in 2013 – said: 'Today marks the end of a long and difficult chapter of frustration and censorship. I took this legal action against the BBC not solely out of anger, but out of a need for accountability and dignity for Ashling, for myself, our families, and for all victims who deserve to have their voices heard without such harsh criticism or judgment.'
Thanking those people who had supported him, he continued: 'This was never just about me, it was about truth, fairness and decency.
'I now move forward, finally free to use my voice again, to honour Ashling and to advocate for the changes we desperately require in this country, for the increased safety measures we so clearly need, and for a society that listens to its people, free of gaslighting, blacklisting or censorship. We all have a lot more in common than what separates us. Let's honour Ashling by building a better and safer Ireland. We all know we can do so much better.'
Jozef Puska's brothers, Marek and Lubomir Jr, were convicted last month of withholding information, while his sisters-in-law, Jozefina Grundzova and Viera Gaziova, were found guilty of burning his clothes after the ­murder.
All four family members were living with Jozef Puska, his wife and 14 children in Co Offaly at the time. Puska's wife, Lucia Istokova, pleaded guilty to withholding information.
The DPP said the two brothers misled gardaí and withheld 'crucial, relevant and significant' information when they gave voluntary interviews in Tullamore two days after Ms Murphy's death.
They did not tell gardaí that Jozef Puska returned home on the night of the murder with visible injuries, admitted to killing or seriously injuring a woman with a knife and subsequently travelled to Dublin.
In her closing speech, prosecutor Anne Marie Lawlor told the jury that all the defendants knew what Jozef Puska had done shortly after 9.30pm on the night of the murder.
She said the killer told Lubomir Jr and Marek, who then relayed it to the others in the house.
Ms Lawlor said in her closing address that the only reason for the withholding of evidence or the burning of clothes was that the defendants didn't want Jozef Puska to be apprehended or prosecuted for murder.