Collins-Eid case: Jury sent to hotel for night

The jury in the trial of a Clare woman and a former Las Vegas poker dealer accused of conspiring to kill her partner and his two sons, has been sent to a hotel for the night.

The jury of eight men and four women began their deliberations shortly before 4pm.

Ms Sharon Collins (aged 45), with an address at Ballybeg House, Kildysart Road and Mr Essam Eid (aged 52), an Egyptian man with a Las Vegas address Ennis, have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to kill P.J., Robert and Niall Howard between August 1, 2006 and September 26, 2006.

Ms Collins also denies hiring Mr Eid to kill the three men.

Mr Eid denies demanding €100,000 from Mr Robert Howard to cancel the contracts. He also denies breaking into the Howard family business at Westgate Business Park and stealing two computers, some computer cables, a digital clock and a poster of old Irish money and then handling the stolen items.

In his charge to the jury, Mr Justice Roderick Murphy told them, in answer to a question they had asked earlier, that in order to convict on conspiracy they would have to be satisfied that both accused had conspired with one another.

However he told them, in cases where the case was proved against one and not the other they could convict that accused.

The jury will resume their deliberations tomorrow morning.