Ashling killer told wife: I didn't mean to kill that girl

Court hears spouse ‘too scared’ to tell gardai of attack admission

- BY PAUL HEALY

THE wife of the man who murdered Ashling Murphy admitted to gardai that he told her “I didn't mean to kill that girl,” a court has heard.

The Central Criminal Court heard Lucia Istokova was “scared” to tell them about her husband Jozef Puska’s clothes being burned after the murder.

Ms Murphy was 23 when she was stabbed to death by Puska in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, 2022.

Istokova was in court yesterday for a sentencing hearing along with Puska’s brothers Lubomir, 38, and Marek, 36, for withholding information.

His siblings’ partners Viera Gaziova, 40, and Jozefina Grundzova, 32, were convicted of assisting an offender.

The court heard how the brothers conceded they heard Slovakian native Puska admit to killing a woman, and how their wives were told to burn his clothes.

Ms Murphy's parents, sister and brother were present when presiding judge Ms Justice Caroline Biggs was told Istokova gave voluntary statements.