ASHLING MURDERER'S SIBLINGS TAKEN TO WHEATFIELD

Move comes after one had already been injured in assault by inmates on Mountjoy landing

- BY PAUL HEALY Crime Correspondent

THE brothers of murderer Jozef Puska have been moved to another prison - amid concerns for their safety.

This paper has learned that Marek and Lubomir Puska were moved from Mountjoy Prison to Wheatfield Prison in west Dublin on Wednesday evening.

The two brothers were recently jailed for two-and-a-half years for their role in withholding information that could have led to their brother being prosecuted sooner over the brutal murder of Irish schoolteacher Ashling Murphy.

Sources say the brothers were moved following an incident almost two weeks ago in which Marek Puska was assaulted by a number of inmates on a landing in Mountjoy.

Following the attack, which saw Marek requiring medical attention, both brothers were placed in a 23-hour lockup for their own safety.

Now we have learned that tensions were extremely high following this incident - and prison bosses made the decision to move both brothers to Wheatfield in an "operational security transfer".

They were also moved amid an overcrowding crisis, which has particularly affected Mountjoy Prison in recent months.

Sources say there was simply no space to keep the brothers there - let alone on a 23-hour regime on a landing that was needed for other lags.

The brothers are set to be housed on the same landing in Wheatfield - but concerns remain that they could be targeted by fellow inmates.

Sources say a constant review will be needed to ensure they are not attacked behind bars.