Court asked to consider suspended sentence for Jozef Puska's partner

by Eoin Reynolds

When Jozef Puska's partner withheld information from gardai 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 today, 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 for his client.

Mr Fitzgerald asked Ms Justice Biggs to take into account that when Istokova withheld information from gardai in 2023, her life had 'imploded'. Less than two days previously, "someone she believed was a loving partner and devoted father" was revealed as a killer, counsel said.

Meanwhile, lawyers for Puska's brothers Marek (36) and Lubomir (37) and their wives Viera Gaziova (40) and 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 22 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 22. Members of the family were in court for today's sentencing hearing.

Jozef Puska (35) murdered Ms Murphy (23) on January 12, 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.

The four family members were found guilty on June 17 this year, after a jury accepted the prosecution’s case that Lubomir Jnr and Marek misled gardai by failing to disclose crucial and vital information when they gave witness statements, while their wives - Gaziova and Grundzova - burned Jozef's clothes to impede his arrest or prosecution.

All these four defendants had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges during the four-week trial. Lubomir Jnr however, had admitted to gardai that he lied in his initial statement, while his wife Viera and sister-in-law Jozefina told gardai that they had burned clothes.

Istokova pleaded guilty to withholding information in May this year while the four others were found guilty by a jury following a trial.