Convicted murderer Jozef Puska is now attending daily classes while serving his life sentence, the Irish Mirror has learned, reports The Mirror.
Puska, who brutally killed teacher Ashling Murphy during a violent assault as she went jogging, is now studying English literacy skills in prison.
The 35-year-old Slovakian national is incarcerated at Midlands Prison for the murder that horrified the country, reports The Mirror.
Sources within the prison say Puska has never accepted responsibility for the crime or offered an explanation for his actions.
Despite this, he is now receiving education behind bars – fully funded by the Irish taxpayer, costing thousands of euro each year.
A source said: “It is ironic that Puska’s victim, Ashling, a teacher, can’t go to school because he took her life, but yet he can. Every day now he goes to school in the Midlands Prison and is learning to speak English, and to read and write in English, among other things. Most lifers take a prison job – but he didn’t. However, that is no surprise since he lived off Irish state handouts for years and hardly ever did a day’s work in his life,” reports The Mirror.
Ireland’s prison education system is regarded as one of the best globally. Inmates can attend daily classes and earn qualifications ranging from school-level to university degrees.
Many prisoners use the system to build basic reading and writing skills, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, reports The Mirror.
Ashling Murphy lost her life in Tullamore, Co Offaly on January 12, 2022, while out for a run.
Puska had been living in a house on the edge of the town with his wife Lucia and their children at the time.
Although he later admitted to the murder while in hospital after a suicide attempt, he entered a not guilty plea, reports The Mirror.
During the trial, it was revealed that he had cycled around Tullamore stalking women before targeting Ashling and stabbing her 11 times without provocation.
Despite his denial, the jury found him guilty in November 2023. He has been held at Midlands Prison in Portlaoise since then.
Puska is currently appealing his conviction. Though a date has yet to be set, it is expected to be heard in the autumn, reports The Mirror.
He argues that his confession should have been excluded from the trial due to being under the influence of the painkiller Oxycodone following surgery.
Puska has reportedly told other inmates he believes the appeal will succeed and that he could soon be free.
He receives regular visits from his wife while being housed in the same prison wing as other life-sentenced murderers, reports The Mirror.
He began attending school within the prison several months ago and appears to be enjoying it.
A prison source said: “He had no interest in doing a prison job like cooking and cleaning so going to school gives him something to do every day instead of dossing around the place,” reports The Mirror.
It costs around €100,000 annually to house a prisoner in Ireland.
The source added that Puska is likely to remain imprisoned for three decades, as no parole board or Justice Minister would want to approve his early release, reports The Mirror.
He said: “This fella is going to cost Irish taxpayers around €3million – and then we are educating him as well.”
Judge Mr Justice Hunt, who oversaw the trial, lamented his lack of authority to impose a minimum sentence term in Puska’s case.
The Government is currently examining potential changes to sentencing laws, reports The Mirror.
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