Ashling Murphy's boyfriend settles defamation action against BBC
The 23-year-old schoolteacher was killed along a canal path in Tullamore, Co Offaly in 2022 by murderer Jozef Puska.
Ashling Murphy and Ryan Casey
(Image: Instagram/@ashling_murphy_memorial_fund )
The boyfriend of murdered Ashling Murphy has settled a defamation claim against the BBC.
The 23-year-old schoolteacher was killed along a canal path in Tullamore, Co Offaly in 2022 by murderer Jozef Puska.
Her partner, 27-year-old Ryan Casey, sued the BBC over a broadcast of an episode of the View following Puska's sentencing.
It contained commentary on Mr Casey's victim impact statement that he delivered ahead of sentencing.
He initiated High Court proceedings against the broadcaster alleging that he had been defamed during the television programme.
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The action was settled on Thursday, with the BBC saying it acknowledged Mr Casey's personal tragedy.
It stood by the journalism of the broadcast and added: "The BBC is however 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 hatred, or someone seeking to pose as a hero of the far right through his victim impact statement."
It is understood Mr Casey received a substantial figure in the settlement.
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"But the prosecutor became aware that the judge may allow CCTV evidence from the pub, so dropped the pub charge, with the result that the defence was not allowed to lead evidence about what had happened in the pub. His account of what happened in the pub was entirely supported by the CCTV evidence. "It supported his credibility but he wasn't allowed to put the CCTV evidence before the jury as the court ruled that it wasn't relevant to the charges at his house." Mr Ross went on to say that he didn't "accept there is a low conviction rate for rape or sexual assault" as there is a lack of relevant data. He addition he suggested that it was misleading to compare conviction in rape cases rapes to those in other types of crime such as murder. "In a murder case there might be 15 sources of evidence, from eyewitnesses, DNA, finger prints in murder cases, while in a rape case just there is very often only one source of evidence - namely the person making the complaint. "So it's entirely unsurprising that there are lower conviction rates for rape than murder." A spokesperson for Rape Crisis Scotland said: 'We wish Thomas Ross KC would express equal concern about ensuring justice for survivors of sexual violence. 'The conviction for rape cases involving a single complainer is only 24%. The overall conviction rate for all crime is 86%. Too many women are being completely let down by the Scottish criminal justice system. "We continue to hear from women about how distressing their treatment is at the hands of some defence lawyers.' Mr Ross responded: "I've met many women who feel completely let by the Scottish criminal justice system. I've met many men who feel completely let down by the criminal justice system too - including men who believe that the court's interpretation of section 275 deprived them of a fair trial. "With so many people feeling completely let down by the system - maybe its time to have another look at the way it operates." A spokeswoman for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said it would be inappropriate for the Judicial Office to comment on Mr Ross's personal views. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Everyone has the right to a fair trial and to appeal against a conviction or sentence. There are well-established rules on what evidence can be led in sexual offences trials, and clear routes to challenge how these are applied.'
