Jozef Puska's partner's life imploded when 'devoted father' became killer - barrister

Eoin Reynolds

When Jozef Puska's partner withheld information from gardaí about the murder of schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, her life had "imploded" as the man she believed to be a loving partner and devoted father was revealed to be a killer, her barrister has told the Central Criminal Court while asking to spare her jail.

At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Colman FitzGerald SC for Puska's partner and mother of his children, Lucia Istokova, 36, said his client was always motivated by a desire to safeguard her children. While she accepts that she has committed an offence and that her actions were wrong, Mr FitzGerald asked Ms Justice Caroline Biggs to consider a fully suspended sentence.

Ms Justice Biggs asked Mr FitzGerald to explain why a probation report for Istokova states that in her first appointment, she denied any wrongdoing and said she only pleaded guilty to minimise the likelihood of a prison sentence.

Mr FitzGerald said that while the probation report stated his client was evasive, a psychologist's report "found no such thing".

He said the psychologist's report found her to have limited emotional literacy and discomfort in discussing her offending or articulating her feelings. The psychological report also stated that she knows her actions were wrong and is at low risk of reoffending.

Meanwhile, lawyers for Puska's brothers Marek, 36, and Lubomir, 37, as well as Lubomir's wife Viera Gaziova, 40, and Marek's wife Jozefina Grundzova, 35, pointed to the difficulties faced by foreigners in Irish prisons as factors for the court to consider before sentencing.

They also asked the court to consider the impact of imprisoning six parents who collectively have 14 children, all under the age of 16.

Ms Justice Biggs adjourned the matter to October 22nd and warned the families to get their affairs in order ahead of that date due to the real risk that they will be sent to prison. The court will also hear statements from Ashling Murphy's family on October 22nd. Members of the family were in court for Tuesday's sentencing hearing.

Jozef Puska, 35, murdered Ms Murphy, 23, on January 12th, 2022, by repeatedly stabbing her in the neck after attacking her while she exercised along the canal towpath outside Tullamore, Co Offaly. He was later convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence.

On June 17th this year, a jury accepted the prosecution’s case that Lubomir Jnr and Marek misled gardaí by failing to disclose vital information when they gave witness statements, while their wives - Gaziova and Grundzova - burned Jozef's clothes to impede his arrest or prosecution. All four had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Istokova pleaded guilty to withholding information in May this year before the commencement of the trial.

At Tuesday's hearing, prosecution counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC told the court that Marek Puska, Lubomir Puska and Lucia Istokova face a maximum five-year sentence for withholding information. Grundzova and Gaziova face a maximum of ten years for burning the clothes worn by Jozef Puska when he murdered Ms Murphy.

CCTV footage

Detective Inspector Patrick O'Callaghan further told Ms Lawlor that two weeks after the murder, Istokova was arrested and for the first time revealed to gardaí that her husband had told her that he "didn't need to kill that girl" and that he "needs to get out of here". Puska fled to Dublin later that night.

Insp O'Callaghan said that Jozef Puska was identified as a suspect when his bicycle was found beside where Ms Murphy was murdered. CCTV showed him cycling the same bike around Tullamore on the afternoon of the murder, and he was further connected to the body by DNA under his victim's fingernails.

He also made admissions to gardaí while in hospital two days after the murder.

Following the murder, Jozef Puska crawled through brambles and spent hours in a field before walking into Tullamore where he managed to get a lift home to Mucklagh. He arrived home at about 9pm, soaking wet and covered in cuts from the brambles.

When Marek and Lubomir spoke to gardaí two days later, they failed to mention that Jozef came home that night with visible injuries. They also failed say that Jozef admitted to killing or seriously injuring a woman with a knife and that he travelled to Dublin later that night.

Marek was further found to have withheld knowledge of a plan to burn the clothes Jozef had been wearing.

The extent of their knowledge became apparent in subsequent voluntary statements and through interviews after each of the accused had been arrested 13 days after Ms Murphy's murder, the detective said.

Beginning the pleas in mitigation, Paul Murray SC for Grundzova said his client wanted to offer her "sincere and deepest apology to the Murphy family". He said she has "extreme regret and remorse for what she did".

Mr Murray said his client is a devoted mother and asked the court to consider whether the interests of justice lie in depriving her children of their mother.

Mr Murray also asked the court to consider the "practice and culture" of the Roma community in terms of the roles of men and women. While counsel said he was not suggesting that his client acted under duress, it is clear that his client was isolated and had "no life whatsoever" outside the family home.

Ms Grundzova is considered at low risk of reoffending, has no previous convictions, and has never come to the attention of gardaí, Mr Murray said.

Counsel for each of the defendants pointed out that none of them have previous convictions and have never come to adverse garda attention.

Karl Finnegan SC for Marek Puska said his client acted to protect his brother in circumstances where he didn't believe he could commit such a crime.

He has tried to make a better life for his children and prioritises their education, counsel said. Mr Finnegan also pointed to "negative commentary online" about the Puska family.

Kathleen Leader SC for Lubomir Puska asked the court to consider the impact of Roma culture, which prioritises "loyalty to family over the State".

Damien Colgan SC for Gaziova said his client does not present a risk to society and asked the court not to impose a custodial sentence. She accepts that what she did was wrong and understands the seriousness of the offence and the effect it has had on the Murphy family.