Jozef Puska's sister-in-law said bloodstained t-shirt was burned, trial hears

by Ryan Dunne

Jozef Puska's sister-in-law told gardaí that she and another family member burned clothes, including a bloodstained t-shirt, the day after school teacher Ashling Murphy was murdered, a trial has heard.

Jozef Puska (35) attacked Ms Murphy (23) on the canal towpath at Cappincur in Tullamore on January 12, 2022 and was later convicted of her murder. She died having suffered 12 sharp force injuries to her neck, eleven of which were stab wounds.

Jozefina Grundzova (32), who is married to Jozef's brother Marek Puska (36), is charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska by assisting in burning his clothes. Viera Gaziova (40), who is married to Jozef's other brother Lubomir Puska Jnr (38), is charged with the same offence.

Lubomir Jnr and Marek are charged with withholding information from detectives investigating Ms Murphy's murder. All the accused were living with Jozef Puska, his wife Lucia, and 14 children at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly when the offences are alleged to have occurred in January 2022.

All accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

At the Central Criminal Court today (Wednesday), Detective Garda James Duffy gave evidence to counsel for the State, Kevin White BL, that during garda interview, Ms Grundzova told gardaí that co-accused Ms Gaziova received a phone call telling her to burn certain clothes.

She said that these were “maybe Jozef’s clothes” and it was Ms Gaziova who lit the fire on January 13. Ms Grundzova told gardaí that Ms Gaziova was “throwing clothes into the fire”, which she may have taken out of a bag. She said that she herself took socks out of the bag and threw them into the fire.

She said she did not know why these clothes were burned, but she noticed there was “blood around the lower half of the t-shirt".

“Viera told me she got a call that the clothes needed to be burned,” she said.

Presiding judge Ms Justice Caroline Biggs told the jury of seven men and five women that they will not be required again until next Monday (June 9), when the trial will resume.