The Puska family may be deported out of Ireland when they are freed from prison – where they’re doing time for offences connected to the murder of Ashling Murphy
07/10/2025 Lucia Istokova, wife of Jozef Puska, arriving at Central Criminal Court(Image: Collins Courts)
The Puska family may be deported out of Ireland when they are freed from prison in 18 months time
Sinn Fein has vowed to lobby the Government and specifically the Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan to make it happen.
Evil killer Jozef Puska’s wife Lucia Itstokova,36, brothers, Marek, 36, Lubomir, 37,and sister in law Viera Gaziova, 40, Jozefina Grundzova, 35, all received 20 month plus sentence on Wednesday for withholding information about the shocking murder of teacher Ashling Murphy and burning his clothes.
They all lived in a house a few miles outside Tullamore, Co Offaly with their 14 children all under 26, paid for by the Irish taxpayer.
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The Puskas are from Slovakia, but EU governments can remove citizens from another European member state and send them home if they have committed a serious crime or deemed to be a threat to public safety.
Yesterday Matt Carthy TD, Sinn Fein Justice spokesman demanded that the Puskas be deported out of Ireland when they finish their jail time.
He said: “The murder of Ashling Murphy was horrific and shocked the country. I want to commend Ashling’s family and loved ones for their dignity and composure, amid their unbearable heartache, since her murder.
“! also recognise the work of members of An Garda Siochana whose efforts have ensured that Jozef Puska who murdered Ashling, and his family members who sought to prevent him being caught, are now behind bars.
“I welcome the fact that custodial sentences were applied in recognition of the gravity of those offences.
“The Justice Minister must ensure that those convicted are immediately deported from the state following completion of the sentence.”
The Puskas allowing for a 25pc remission for good behaviour will be scheduled to be freed around March,2027.
07/10/2025 Marek Puska arriving at Central Criminal Court (Image: Collins Courts)
07/10/2025 Lubomir Puska, 35 and Viera Gaziona, 38, arriving at Central Criminal Court(Image: Collins Courts)
Yesterday there was also criticism of the Judge in the case Caroline Biggs for recognising the Roma gypsy background of the female Puska family members as a mitigating factor in suspending some of their sentences.
Ken O’Flynn TD of Independent Ireland fumed:” Judge Biggs acknowledges that the women, who assisted in the evasion of a brutal murderer, were not coerced but psychologically pressured because of cultural norms.
“She may find that a credible basis for leniency but I and I think the vast majority of the public do not.
Ashling Murphy.
“If we accept that this principle must be applied across the board then implications for cases ranging from sexual assault, rape, female genital mutilation, are enormous.
“Ashling Murphy’s family received no leniency from these women or from Jozef Puska and his brothers. They certainly showed that they couldn’t care less about our cultural norms prohibiting the savage murder of women and the evasion of the perpetrator.
“If you assist in the obstruction of justice for so heinous a crime then I don’t care what your culture says , mine says you go to jail and to hell with misplaced leniency.”
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