JOZEF PUSKA’S WIFE knew her husband had admitted killing or seriously injuring a woman with a knife when he returned home on the day 23-year-old schoolteacher Ashling Murphy was murdered but failed to alert gardaí, it can now be reported.

On the day that the trial of Jozef’s brothers and sisters-in-law began, Lucia Istokova (36), the mother of Jozef’s children, pleaded guilty to withholding information from gardaí investigating the murder.

In a 12-day pre-trial hearing, Istokova had challenged the admissibility of her statements to gardaí which formed the basis of the charge against her. Her sister-in-law Jozefina Grundzova (32) also sought to exclude evidence of two interviews she had with gardaí.

However, when Ms Justice Caroline Biggs ruled that the statements could be used as evidence for a jury to consider, Istokova pleaded guilty, while Grundzova opted for a trial by jury.

When Istokova was arraigned, on May 19 last, she pleaded guilty to a single charge that on January 14, 2022, she failed without reasonable excuse to disclose to a member of An Garda Siochána that Jozef Puska had visible injuries when he returned to their home at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly after Ms Murphy’s murder.

The single count also stated that she failed to tell gardaí that Puska admitted to killing or seriously injuring a female with a knife or that he owned a bicycle that was found near Ms Murphy’s body.

The charge further alleged that Istokova knew or believed this information might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Jozef Puska for an offence involving loss of human life or serious personal injury.

Ms Justice Biggs ordered that Istokova’s plea could not be reported until verdicts were reached in respect of the other four defendants, to protect their fair trial rights.

Istokova was released on continuing bail following the plea. Her co-accused were also on bail throughout the trial.