This article is from page 20 of the 2008-06-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
SHARON Collins sometimes re- ferred to herself as “Howard’’, her partner’s eldest son told the trial.
Robert Howard told the court that AYES Gro) UT arm er KeMEAVcCeMY alee mONKweElselon PJ for eight years and had looked af- ter him through illnesses.
Paul O’ Higgins SC, for Ms Collins, put it to him that the relationship was unusual.
“It was an unusual relationship. You’ll probably think it’s fair to say it’s unusual to get a letter to say they wouldn’t be getting married and even more unusual that there was a wed- ding reception with invitations sent out,” said Mr O’ Higgins.
Two invitation cards were handed to Mr Howard in the witness box, but he replied, “I don’t remember see- ing these before. I never saw them before.”
Mr O’Higgins said, “Sharon Col-
lins wouldn’t deny this for a moment, she was very keen to get married,’ and Robert Howard accepted this.
Asked how often he would see Ms Collins, the witness said, “When Sharon was around, I’d see her.” Asked did he and his brother social- ise with her he replied, “Yes.”
Referring to the computer at PJ Howard’s house, Mr O’Higgins said that Ms Collins was “effectively leaving an open book for yourself and possibly for your father and for Niall. Not only was that book open from August on, but all these events came to light in late September 2007. If Sharon Collins was responsible for all these events, the Eridium com- puter was sitting in Ballybeg House through all this time.”
Mr Howard replied, “I don’t know. I can’t remember seeing the compu- ter at Ballybeg House.”
Under cross-examination from David Sutton SC, for Essam Eid,
Robert Howard admitted that he and his brother Niall were more active in running the business than their father.
Asked was he proficient in tech- nology, he smiled and replied, “Not very’, but accepted he had sufficient knowledge for the day-to-day run- ning of the business.
Mr Sutton asked Robert Howard whether he found the visit by “Tony” to his home an “unusual event”’.
He replied, “Very weird, very strange.”
Mr Sutton said, “He shook your hand, very strange,’ to which Mr Howard replied, “Very strange al- Toa
The barrister put it to Mr Howard that he didn’t slam the door on the man’s face. He replied, “I wanted to find out what he wanted.”