This article is from page 11 of the 2008-10-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
SENTENCING in the Ennis con- spiracy to murder case will take place in three weeks’ time at the Central Criminal Court. Sharon Col- lins and Essam Eid appeared in court last Wednesday, when a date for their sentencing was set.
Collins (45), formerly of Ballybeg House, Kildysart Road, Ennis, was found guilty by a jury in July of so- liciting to murder PJ Howard and his sons Robert and Niall.
Eid (52), a native of Egypt and for- merly of Las Vegas, was found guilty of demanding €100,000 from Rob- ert Howard to cancel a contract on
his life and the lives of his father and brother. Eid was also convicted of handling stolen property.
At the end of the eight-week trial on July 9, sentencing had been adjourned as psychological reports were to be carried out on Collins and medical reports were to be made available in the case of Eid. The three-minute hearing last Wednesday was told that psychological reports on Collins were ready, but medical reports in the case of Eid were not yet available.
Collins’ barrister Paul O’Higgins SC, said there had been some confu- sion in the matter. He said that the Courts Service had acquired a psy- chologist to see Collins the week
before. This, he said, caused confu- sion as the defence had previously arranged with the Department of Justice to have Dr Brian Glanville see her. He pointed out that Dr Glan- ville’s psychological reports were at hand. However, David Sutton, SC for Eid, said he was having difficulty assembling medical reports for his client and he was seeking another four weeks to complete this. Una Ni Raifeartaigh BL for the prosecution said the State was ready to go ahead with the sentencing.
Mr Justice Roderick Murphy fixed Monday, November 3, as the date for the sentencing to take place.