Five face trial for obstructing Ashling Murphy murder investigation

Five defendants have been sent forward for trial to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court for allegedly obstructing the Ashling Murphy murder investigation.

Tullamore District Court was told on Wednesday, December 20 that a Book of Evidence had been served on all five defendants and the cases would be heard in the Central Criminal Court, Dublin.

Judge Andrew Cody told each of the defendants that they had 14 days from December 20 date to supply an alibi to the Courts.

The court was told that there is a  restriction on the media from publishing the defendants' addresses. Before the court were Marek Puska, Lubomir Puska, Lucia Istokova, Jozefina Grundzova and Viera Gazoiva.

They were all charged with, on dates unknown, between varying dates in January 2022, failing without reasonable excuse to disclose as soon as was practicable to a member of the gardaí information which they knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Jozef Puska for a serious offence to wit murder of Ashling Murphy on January 1, 2022 at Grand Canal Way Cappincur, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Three of the defendants were charged with committing this offence in Tullamore Garda Station.