Woman's life imploded when her 'loving partner' and 'devoted father' Jozef Puska became a killer, court told

Also, lawyers for Puska's brothers and their wives pointed to the difficulties faced by foreigners in Irish prisons as factors for the court to consider before sentencing

The court was told that Lucia Istokova (pictured), the partner of Joesf Puska, was always motivated by a desire to safeguard her children. Photo: Collins Courts

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 (aged 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 gardaí 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 (aged 36) and Lubomir (aged 37) and their wives Viera Gaziova (aged 40) and Jozefina Grundzova (aged 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 Tuesday's sentencing hearing.

Jozef Puska (aged 35) murdered Ms Murphy (aged 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 gardaí 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 the defendants had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges during the four-week trial. Lubomir Jnr, however, had admitted to gardaí that he lied in his initial statement, while his wife Viera and sister-in-law Jozefina told gardaí 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.