Five in court in connection with murder of Ashling Murphy

Ashling Murphy was killed whilst running along the Grand Canal in Tullamore on January 12, in 2022

Five people have appeared before a court in Tullamore accused of various crimes arising out of the investigation into Ashling Murphy’s murder.

The 23-year-old primary school teacher was killed whilst running along the Grand Canal in Tullamore on January 12, in 2022.

Jozef Puska, of Lynally Grove in Tullamore, is due to stand trial for her murder in October.

Two men and three women appeared before Tullamore District Court this morning (Wednesday, June 14) after being arrested in Dublin yesterday in connection with a separate prosecution.

Marek Puska (34), Lubomir Puska (35) and Lucia Istokova (34), whose addresses cannot be published by order of the court, are accused of failing to disclose information to gardaí on a date unknown between two dates last year.

Jozefina Grundzova (33) and Viera Gazoiva (38) are both accused of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of a person.

Judge Michelle Finan made an order prohibiting the publication of their addresses.

Detective Garda Colin O'Leary told the court that when Lubomir Puska was arrested and charged he replied after caution: “I understand what you said and I thank you.” 

Marek Puska was arrested by Detective Sergeant Caroline Lyng and she said his reply after caution was: “It is out of my hands to say anything about that.” Judge Finan was told the DPP had directed all five be tried by indictment and she remanded them on bail to appear in court again for service of books of evidence on July 26 next.

A Slovakian language interpreter was in court to assist the accused people.

Bail was agreed on condition they all surrender their passports or travel documents but the court was told by Sergeant James O'Sullivan that Jozefina Grundzova and Marek Puska said they had lost theirs.

Judge Finan ordered that the travel documents be surrendered by both those defendants within 72 hours and if that condition of the bail was breached, it would be open to the prosecution to apply for a revocation of bail.

They are all due back in court next month.