Latest news with #JozefPuska
Irish Times
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Jozef Puska revealed three stab wounds on night of Ashling Murphy murder, court hears
Jozef Puska's brother denied to gardaí that he told someone to dispose of the knife used to murder schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The jury also heard Lubomir Puska jnr (37) denied he asked anyone to dispose of the clothes Jozef Puska wore when he murdered Ms Murphy. Jozef Puska (35) attacked Ms Murphy (23) on the canal towpath at Cappincur in Tullamore on January 12th, 2022. She died having suffered 12 sharp force injuries to her neck, 11 of which were stab wounds. He was convicted of her murder. His brothers Lubomir Puska jnr and Marek Puska (36) are charged with withholding information while knowing or believing it might materially assist in apprehending, prosecuting or convicting Jozef Puska for a serious offence. READ MORE Both men have pleaded not guilty. Jozefina Grundzova (31), who is married to Marek Puska, and Viera Gaziova (38), who is married to Lubomir Puska jnr, are accused of assisting in burning clothing without reasonable excuse, intending to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska, knowing or believing him to have committed murder or a similar arrestable offence. They have pleaded not guilty. All the accused have an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly. The jury previously heard Lubomir Puska jnr said in his first statement to gardaí that he saw his brother Jozef Puska in the early afternoon on the day of the murder. He seemed 'a bit sad, not in a good mood' , Lubomir Puska jnr said. However, he later returned to the Garda station and apologised for lying, saying Jozef Puska arrived home on the night of January 12th looking like he had been struck on the forehead. The jury on Wednesday watched video footage of Lubomir Puska jnr's interview with gardaí on January 18th, 2022, in which he said he returned home on the day of the murder to find his brother Jozef Puska looking 'like he was beaten by someone'. Through a Slovakian interpreter, Lubomir Puska jnr said Jozef Puska was 'swollen on the forehead' and his cheek was red like he had been scraped. He said his brother had 'a weird walk, kind of broken'. He told gardaí his brother, who was just out of the shower, opened his towel to reveal three stab wounds. He told gardaí he asked Jozef Puska what had happened to him, and his brother replied that he had wanted to kill himself and had done a 'horrendous thing'. 'He said when he was stabbing himself, there was a girl running or exercising, she went towards him,' the accused told gardaí. 'She said: 'What are you doing? Don't do it, you are too young.' He said to her, 'Leave me alone, it's my life, my business.'' The accused said Jozef Puska 'probably wanted to push her away to leave him alone', but he thought he 'cut her'. After telling the gardaí this, the accused said it had been 'very heavy, very hard to say'. [ Brother of Ashling Murphy murderer told gardaí back medication was affecting his memory Opens in new window ] He told gardaí he could not believe what his brother was telling him, so he asked him again what he had done. He said his brother told him: 'I don't know whether I hurt her so much, but I think I did ... it must have been an accident, I didn't want to do this, but I just switched my hand as she was coming near me.' The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents immediately what he had done, to which Jozef Puska said he would tell them after they brought him to Dublin. The accused said he told his brother 'don't make any secrets'. The trial continues on Thursday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Jozef Puska's brother denied telling someone to dispose of knife used to murder Ashling Murphy, jury hears
Jozef Puska's brother denied to gardaí that he told someone to dispose of the knife used to murder schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The jury also heard that Lubomir Puska Jnr (37) denied that he had asked anyone to dispose of the clothes worn by his brother on the day Jozef Puska murdered Ms Murphy. Advertisement Jozef Puska (35) attacked Ms Murphy (23) on the canal towpath at Cappincur in Tullamore on January 12th, 2022. She died having suffered 12 sharp force injuries to her neck, 11 of which were stab wounds. Puska's brothers, Lubomir Puska Jnr and Marek Puska (36), are charged with withholding information, knowing or believing that the information might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution, or conviction of Jozef Puska for a serious offence involving loss of human life or serious personal injury to another. From left: Lubomir Puska (35), Viera Gaziona (38), Jozefina Grundzova (31) and Marek Puska (34), who have addresses in Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly. Photo: Collins Both men have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Offences Against the State, Amendment Act 1988. Jozefina Grundzova (31), who is married to Marek Puska, and Viera Gaziova (38), who is married to Lubomir Puska Jnr, are accused of assisting in burning clothing between January 12th and 14th, without reasonable excuse, intending to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska, knowing or believing him to have committed the offence of murder or some other arrestable offence within the same category or of a similar nature. Advertisement They have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Criminal Law Act 1997. All the accused have an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly. The jury previously heard that in his first statement to gardaí, Lubomir Jnr said he first saw his brother Jozef in the early afternoon that day. He seemed "a bit sad, not in a good mood," Lubomir Jnr said. He told gardaí that he left the house at about 11.30 and did not see his brother again. However, he later returned to the garda station and made a second statement, in which he apologised for lying and said that when Jozef arrived home on the night of January 12th, it looked like he had been struck on the forehead. Advertisement The jury at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday watched video footage of Lubomir Jnr's interview with gardaí on January 18th, 2022, in which he said he returned home on the day Ms Murphy was murdered to find his brother Jozef looking 'like he was beaten by someone'. Through a Slovakian interpreter, Lubomir Jnr said that Jozef was 'swollen on the forehead' and his cheek was red like he had been scraped. He said his brother had 'a weird walk, kind of broken,' as though something had happened to him. He told the gardaí that his brother, who was just out of the shower, opened the towel he was wearing to reveal three stab wounds. 'He looked drunk, but he wasn't drunk,' said Lubomir Jnr. He told gardaí that he asked Jozef what had happened to him, to which his brother replied that he had wanted to kill himself and he had done a 'horrendous thing'. Advertisement 'He said when he was stabbing himself, there was a girl running or exercising, she went towards him,' the accused told gardaí. 'She said: 'What are you doing? Don't do it, you are too young.' He said to her, 'Leave me alone, it's my life, my business.'' The accused said that Jozef 'probably wanted to push her away to leave him alone', but he thought that Jozef 'cut her with the knife'. After telling the gardaí this, the accused said it had been 'very heavy, very hard to say'. 'I never said anything like that in my life,' said the accused. He told gardaí that he could not believe what his brother was telling him, so he asked him again what he had done. He said that Jozef told him: 'I don't know whether I hurt her so much, but I think I did... it must have been an accident, I didn't want to do this, but I just switched my hand as she was coming near me.' Advertisement The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents immediately what he had done, to which Jozef said that he would tell them but only after they brought him to Dublin. The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents everything and 'don't make any secrets'. In a further interview, the accused told gardaí that he thought Jozef had his clothes in the bathroom with him. When asked if anyone removed those clothes, he said that he did not know. Detective Garda Joanne O'Sullivan gave evidence to prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC of the accused's next interview with gardaí, conducted on January 26th, 2022. In this interview, it was put to the accused that someone had asked his wife to move Josef's clothes and put them beside the bin. Ireland Jozef Puska was 'a bit sad' on day of Ashling Murp... Read More 'I don't know who it was, it wasn't me,' replied the accused. In a further interview on January 27th, 2022, it was put to the accused that when he knew Jozef had murdered Ms Murphy, he 'bundled him up and sent him to Dublin' before giving instructions to dispose of the clothes. The accused denied this and also denied that he had asked anyone to dispose of the knife. The trial continues on Thursday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Jozef Puska's brother denied ordering disposal of knife in Ashling Murphy murder
Jozef Puska's brother denied to Gardaí that he told someone to dispose of the knife used to murder schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The jury also heard that Lubomir Puska Jnr, 37, denied that he had asked anyone to dispose of the clothes worn by his brother on the day Jozef Puska murdered Ms Murphy. Jozef Puska, 35, attacked Ms Murphy, 23, on the canal towpath at Cappincur in Tullamore on January 12, 2022. She died having suffered 12 sharp force injuries to her neck, 11 of which were stab wounds. Puska's brothers Lubomir Puska Jnr and Marek Puska, 36, are charged with withholding information, knowing or believing that the information might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution, or conviction of Jozef Puska for a serious offence involving loss of human life or serious personal injury to another. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act, 1988. Jozefina Grundzova, 31, who is married to Marek Puska, and Viera Gaziova, 38, who is married to Lubomir Puska Jnr, are accused of assisting in burning clothing between January 12 and 14, without reasonable excuse, intending to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska, knowing or believing him to have committed the offence of murder or some other arrestable offence within the same category or of a similar nature. They have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Criminal Law Act 1997. All the accused have an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly. The jury previously heard that in his first statement to Gardaí, Lubomir Jnr said he first saw his brother Jozef in the early afternoon that day. He seemed "a bit sad, not in a good mood," Lubomir Jnr said. He told Gardaí that he left the house at about 11.30 and did not see his brother again. However, he later returned to the Garda station and made a second statement, in which he apologised for lying and said that when Jozef arrived home on the night of January 12, it looked like he had been struck on the forehead. The jury at the Central Criminal Court today watched video footage of Lubomir Jnr's interview with Gardaí on January 18, 2022, in which he said he returned home on the day Ms Murphy was murdered to find his brother Jozef looking 'like he was beaten by someone'. Through a Slovakian interpreter, Lubomir Jnr said that Jozef was 'swollen on the forehead' and his cheek was red like he had been scraped. He said his brother had 'a weird walk, kind of broken,' as though something had happened to him. He told the Gardaí that his brother, who was just out of the shower, opened the towel he was wearing to reveal three stab wounds. 'He looked drunk, but he wasn't drunk,' said Lubomir Jnr. He told Gardaí that he asked Jozef what had happened to him, to which his brother replied that he had wanted to kill himself and he had done a 'horrendous thing'. 'He said when he was stabbing himself, there was a girl running or exercising, she went towards him,' the accused told Gardaí. 'She said: 'What are you doing? Don't do it, you are too young.' He said to her, 'Leave me alone, it's my life, my business'.' The accused said that Jozef 'probably wanted to push her away to leave him alone', but he thought that Jozef 'cut her with the knife'. After telling the Gardaí this, the accused said it had been 'very heavy, very hard to say'. 'I never said anything like that in my life,' said the accused. He told Gardaí that he could not believe what his brother was telling him, so he asked him again what he had done. He said that Jozef told him: 'I don't know whether I hurt her so much, but I think I did... it must have been an accident, I didn't want to do this, but I just switched my hand as she was coming near me.' The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents immediately what he had done, to which Jozef said that he would tell them but only after they brought him to Dublin. The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents everything and 'don't make any secrets'. In a further interview, the accused told Gardaí that he thought Jozef had his clothes in the bathroom with him. When asked if anyone removed those clothes, he said that he did not know. Detective Garda Joanne O'Sullivan gave evidence to prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC of the accused's next interview with Gardaí, conducted on January 26, 2022. In this interview, it was put to the accused that someone had asked his wife to move Josef's clothes and put them beside the bin. 'I don't know who it was, it wasn't me,' replied the accused. In a further interview on January 27, 2022, it was put to the accused that when he knew Jozef had murdered Ms Murphy, he 'bundled him up and sent him to Dublin' before giving instructions to dispose of the clothes. The accused denied this and also denied that he had asked anyone to dispose of the knife. The trial continues on Thursday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Jozef Puska's brother denied telling someone to dispose of knife used to murder Ashling Murphy, jury told
Jozef Puska's brother denied to gardaí that he told someone to dispose of the knife used to murder schoolteacher Ashling Murphy, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The jury also heard that Lubomir Puska Jnr (aged 37) denied that he had asked anyone to dispose of the clothes worn by his brother on the day Jozef Puska murdered Ms Murphy. Jozef Puska (aged 35) attacked Ms Murphy (aged 23) on the canal towpath at Cappincur in Tullamore on January 12, 2022. She died having suffered 12 sharp force injuries to her neck, 11 of which were stab wounds. Puska's brothers Lubomir Puska Jnr and Marek Puska (aged 36) are charged with withholding information, knowing or believing that the information might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution, or conviction of Jozef Puska for a serious offence involving loss of human life or serious personal injury to another. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Offences Against the State, Amendment Act 1988. Jozefina Grundzova (aged 31), who is married to Marek Puska, and Viera Gaziova (aged 38), who is married to Lubomir Puska Jnr, are accused of assisting in burning clothing between January 12 and 14, without reasonable excuse, intending to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Jozef Puska, knowing or believing him to have committed the offence of murder or some other arrestable offence within the same category or of a similar nature. They have pleaded not guilty to the offences, which are charged under the Criminal Law Act 1997. All the accused have an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly. The jury previously heard that in his first statement to gardaí, Lubomir Jnr said he first saw his brother Jozef in the early afternoon that day. He seemed "a bit sad, not in a good mood," Lubomir Jnr said. He told gardaí that he left the house at about 11.30 and did not see his brother again. However, he later returned to the garda station and made a second statement, in which he apologised for lying and said that when Jozef arrived home on the night of January 12, it looked like he had been struck on the forehead. 'Horrendous thing' The jury at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday watched video footage of Lubomir Jnr's interview with gardaí on January 18, 2022, in which he said he returned home on the day Ms Murphy was murdered to find his brother Jozef looking 'like he was beaten by someone'. Through a Slovakian interpreter, Lubomir Jnr said that Jozef was 'swollen on the forehead' and his cheek was red like he had been scraped. He said his brother had 'a weird walk, kind of broken,' as though something had happened to him. He told the gardaí that his brother, who was just out of the shower, opened the towel he was wearing to reveal three stab wounds. 'He looked drunk, but he wasn't drunk,' said Lubomir Jnr. He told gardaí that he asked Jozef what had happened to him, to which his brother replied that he had wanted to kill himself and he had done a 'horrendous thing'. 'He said when he was stabbing himself, there was a girl running or exercising, she went towards him,' the accused told gardaí. 'She said: 'What are you doing? Don't do it, you are too young.' He said to her, 'Leave me alone, it's my life, my business.'' Ashling Murphy (pictured) died having suffered 12 sharp force injuries to her neck, 11 of which were stab wounds. File picture: Facebook The accused said that Jozef 'probably wanted to push her away to leave him alone', but he thought that Jozef 'cut her with the knife'. After telling the gardaí this, the accused said it had been 'very heavy, very hard to say'. 'I never said anything like that in my life,' said the accused. He told gardaí that he could not believe what his brother was telling him, so he asked him again what he had done. He said that Jozef told him: 'I don't know whether I hurt her so much, but I think I did... it must have been an accident, I didn't want to do this, but I just switched my hand as she was coming near me.' The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents immediately what he had done, to which Jozef said that he would tell them but only after they brought him to Dublin. The accused said he told his brother to tell their parents everything and 'don't make any secrets'. Further interviews In a further interview, the accused told gardaí that he thought Jozef had his clothes in the bathroom with him. When asked if anyone removed those clothes, he said that he did not know. Detective Garda Joanne O'Sullivan gave evidence to prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC of the accused's next interview with gardaí, conducted on January 26, 2022. In this interview, it was put to the accused that someone had asked his wife to move Josef's clothes and put them beside the bin. 'I don't know who it was, it wasn't me,' replied the accused. In a further interview on January 27, 2022, it was put to the accused that when he knew Jozef had murdered Ms Murphy, he 'bundled him up and sent him to Dublin' before giving instructions to dispose of the clothes. The accused denied this and also denied that he had asked anyone to dispose of the knife. The trial continues on Thursday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
Irish Times
7 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Jozef Puska ‘not in a good mood' on day of Ashling Murphy murder, court told
Earlier on the day that Jozef Puska murdered Ashling Murphy , he was 'a bit sad' and seemed like he had a 'problem he didn't want to share with anyone', the Central Criminal Court has heard. Lubomir Puska jnr (38) told gardaí two days after the murder that his brother, Jozef Puska, was 'not in a good mood' and the family became concerned when he left that afternoon and didn't return. He said he didn't see his brother again that day. Two days after that first statement, Lubomir jnr returned to Tullamore Garda Station and apologised for lying. He said he had, in fact, seen Jozef again that night, soon after 9pm. He said Jozef arrived at the house they shared in Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, just outside Tullamore, looking like he had been beaten up. The trial previously heard that Jozef Puska has been convicted of murdering Ms Murphy, a 23-year-old schoolteacher, on the afternoon of January 12th, 2022. Ms Murphy was exercising by the canal near Tullamore when Jozef Puska stabbed her repeatedly in the neck. READ MORE Jozef, Lubomir jnr and another brother, Marek (36), lived at the house in Lynally Grove with their wives Viera Gaziova (38) and Jozefina Grundzova (31) and 14 children. Lubomir jnr and Marek are accused of withholding information that was crucial to the investigation into Ms Murphy's murder in January 2022. Ms Grundzova and Ms Gaziova, are accused of impeding Jozef's apprehension or prosecution by burning the clothes he wore when he murdered Ms Murphy. Each accused has pleaded not guilty. Det Gda Joanne O'Sullivan on Tuesday told prosecution senior counsel Sean Gillane that Lubomir jnr made voluntary statements at Tullamore Garda Station on January 14th and 16th, 2022. In his first statement, Lubomir jnr said he first saw his brother in the early afternoon that day. He seemed 'a bit sad, not in a good mood', Lubomir jnr said. He added: 'He seemed to me like a person who doesn't want anyone to know what is biting him inside. Some kind of problem he didn't want to share with anyone.' In his second statement, after Lubomir jnr apologised for lying, he said that when Jozef arrived home on the night of the 12th, it looked like he had been struck on the forehead. When Jozef complained of a pain in the stomach, Lubomir jnr said he looked and saw three lacerations on his brother's abdomen. Jozef insisted that nothing had happened, Lubomir jnr said, and didn't say where he had been. He said their parents arrived a short time later and took Jozef to their home in Dublin. When gardaí asked why he had not told the truth in his previous statement, he said: 'It felt strange to tell on my brother. I never had to do it before.' He said he came back to tell the truth, adding: 'I feel better now that I told the truth. I feel better now.' The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
