Courts / Offaly / Report
Jozef Puska's family members guilty of withholding information and burning murderer's clothes
Summary
At the Central Criminal Court, a jury convicted Jozef Puska's brothers, Lubomir Puska Jnr and Marek Puska, of withholding information from An Garda Síochána regarding the murder of Ashling Murphy. The brothers were found guilty of failing to disclose that Jozef Puska returned home on the night of January 12, 2022, with visible injuries and admitted to cutting a female with a knife. Their wives, Viera Gaziova and Jozefina Grundzova, were convicted of burning Jozef's bloodstained clothes to impede his prosecution. Gaziova was convicted by an 11-1 majority, while Grundzova was found guilty by a 10-2 majority. All four defendants had pleaded not guilty. Jozef Puska's wife, Lucia Istokova, had previously pleaded guilty to withholding information. Ms Justice Biggs ordered probation reports for all five defendants. The matter was adjourned to July 7 for sentencing, with the defendants remanded on continuing bail until that date. Jozef Puska is currently serving a life sentence for the murder, having been convicted in November 2023.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jozef Puska's family members guilty of withholding information and burning murderer's clothes. Charges or matters: withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife; all of the charges. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- May 19th Hearing Or Sentence
- January 12, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2022 Incident
- May 19 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 7 Adjournment
- January 12 Incident
- November 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 14, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 14 Other
- 2025-06-17 Publication
Why: Ms Lawlor said in her closing address that the only reason for the withholding of evidence or the burning of clothes was that the defendants didn't want Jozef to be apprehended or prosecuted for murder. CNI source report
Case subjects
Background Person
Charges: all of the charges; withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Jozef Puska is currently serving a life sentence for that murder, having been found guilty by the unanimous verdict of a Central Criminal Court jury in November 2023.; Ms Justice Biggs agreed to the application and went on to order probation reports for each of the defendants, who were remanded on continuing bail until that date.
Convicted Person
Charges: withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Ms Justice Biggs agreed to the application and went on to order probation reports for each of the defendants, who were remanded on continuing bail until that date.
Convicted Person
Charges: withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: Ms Justice Biggs agreed to the application and went on to order probation reports for each of the defendants, who were remanded on continuing bail until that date.
Defendant
Charges: withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Ms Justice Biggs agreed to the application and went on to order probation reports for each of the defendants, who were remanded on continuing bail until that date.
Convicted Person
Charges: withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: Jozef Puska is currently serving a life sentence for that murder, having been found guilty by the unanimous verdict of a Central Criminal Court jury in November 2023.; Ms Justice Biggs agreed to the application and went on to order probation reports for each of the defendants, who were remanded on continuing bail until that date.
Convicted Person
Charges: withholding information by failing, without reasonable excuse, to tell a member of An Garda Siochana as soon as was practicable that Jozef Puska returned home to Mucklagh on the night of January 12, 2022 with visible injuries and admitted to "cutting" a female with a knife (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Ms Justice Biggs agreed to the application and went on to order probation reports for each of the defendants, who were remanded on continuing bail until that date.
Places mentioned
- The Central Criminal Court
- Central Criminal Court
- voluntary statement at Tullamore Garda Station
- Tullamore
- him missing at Tullamore Garda Station
- Jnr returned to Tullamore Garda Station
Topics
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