FIVE family members of Jozef Puska, who murdered teacher Ashling Murphy in Co. Offaly three-and-a-half years ago, have been jailed for offences connected to the case.
Ms Murphy, 23, was stabbed to death as she jogged along the Grand Canal in Tullamore on the afternoon of January 12, 2022.
Puska was found guilty of Ms Murphy's murder in November 2023 and handed a mandatory life sentence.
Today, his wife and two brothers were jailed for withholding information, while his two sisters-in-law were jailed for destroying evidence.
Puska's wife Lucia Istokova had previously pleaded guilty to withholding information and was today jailed for 20 months.
His brothers, Marek and Lubomir Puska, had pleaded not guilty to the same offence but were convicted by a jury in June.
Both were sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail.
The men's wives, Jozefina Grundzova and Viera Gaziova respectively, had also pleaded not guilty to the charge of destroying evidence, namely burning Puska's clothes following the murder.
However, a jury rejected their plea, with Gaziova today jailed for two years and Grundzova sentenced to 21 months.
'Closed ranks'
In his victim impact statement, Ms Murphy's father Ray said that the Puska family 'closed ranks and decided to protect the animal they call their husband and brother'.
"A family who knew without question one of their own had gone out onto streets of Tullamore and murdered our girl in the most horrific way imaginable — you did everything possible to conceal what you knew," he added.
Amy Murphy said in her statement that the case had compounded the loss of her sister, saying she felt 'gaslit' by the defendants' legal representatives during pre-sentencing hearings.
"They have shown little sense of accountability for their actions," she said.
"Two weeks ago, psychological reports were repeatedly referenced in court.
"These five defendants obstructed justice by lying to the gardaÍ.
"It was not accidental — these were deliberate choices."
No motive has been established as to why Puska attacked Ms Murphy.
At Puska's sentencing, the judge said he was unable to set a minimum term but had he been allowed to do so, he would have considered a whole-life sentence.
Instead, Puska will be eligible for parole after serving 12 years.
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