Ashling Murphy's boyfriend settles BBC defamation case

The partner of murdered school teacher Ashling Murphy has settled his High Court claim for defamation against the BBC.

Ryan Casey, 27, sued the organisation following the broadcast of an episode of live political programme The View on 30 November 2023.

The programme was broadcast just under two weeks after Mr Casey had delivered a victim impact statement at the sentence hearing of Jozef Puska for the murder of Ms Murphy.

Ms Murphy was murdered by Puska on 12 January 2022, as she went for a walk beside the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Puska, who is originally from Slovakia, stabbed Ms Murphy 11 times in the neck in a random attack.

At his trial he claimed she had been killed by a masked man who had also attacked him, but the jury found him guilty of murder.

Puska's brothers, Marek and Lubomir Junior, 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.

Puska's wife, Lucia Istokova, pleaded guilty to withholding information.

In a statement read to the court this morning, the BBC said it stood by the journalism involved in the episode in question, which it said debated serious issues of public interest.

It said, however, that it was happy to clarify that it did not consider Mr Casey to be a criminal or a racist or of attempting to incite hatred or someone seeking to pose as a hero of the far right through his Victim Impact Statement.

The statement read by Senior Counsel Alan Keating, continued that the BBC acknowledged Mr Casey's personal tragedy.

He said the statement clarified any unintentional inferences that could have been drawn from the broadcast and had enabled the BBC and Mr Casey to resolve the matter amicably.

Senior Counsel, Ronan Lupton for Mr Casey, said the matter could be struck out by Mr Justice Alex Owens.

It is understood Mr Casey has received substantial damages as well as a contribution towards his costs amounting to a six figure sum.

In a statement afterwards, Mr Casey said the settlement marked the end of a long and difficult chapter of frustration and censorship.

He said it was never about him, but was about truth, fairness and decency.

Mr Casey said he took the legal action against the BBC not solely out of anger, but out of a need for accountability and dignity for Ashling, for himself, their families and for all victims, who he said deserved to have their voices heard without such harsh criticism or judgement.

He said he hoped it would be a reminder to all media organisations of the high level of responsibility that came with running such public platforms.

Mr Casey thanked everyone who had supported him by post, texts, phone calls and on social media over the past three-and-a-half years, as well as his legal team.

He said he was now finally free to use his voice again to honour Ashling and advocate for the changes desperately required in this country.

He said this included the increased safety measures that were clearly needed and he said he wanted to advocate for a society that listened to its people, "free of gaslighting, blacklisting or censorship".

Mr Casey continued that "we all have a lot more in common than what separates us". He said he wanted everyone to honour Ashling by building a better and safer Ireland.

"We all know we can do so much better," he added.