The Central Criminal Court has heard that DNA found under Ashling Murphy's fingernails matched samples of the man accused of her murder.

33-year-old Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, has pleaded not guilty to the schoolteacher’s murder on January 12th, 2022, in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

This morning, Dr Lorna Flanagan from Forensic Science Ireland gave evidence to the jury about the DNA sample found under Ashling Murphy's fingernails.

She said the samples came from both Ms Murphy’s right and left hands.

Dr Flanagan said she had a DNA profile from Jozef Puska in the form of a blood sample he gave at St James's Hospital and a reference swab taken from Mr Puska at Tullamore Garda station.

She said the DNA profile from Ashling Murphy’s nails matched that of the two samples she had from Jozef Puska.

Dr Flanagan told the jury of nine men and three women that there was a 1-in-14,000 chance the profile belonged to someone unrelated to him.

Under cross-examination from the defence, she said this statistic was an estimate, but one that erred on the side of conservatism.

The trial continues this afternoon.