'Lying Eyes' to be sentenced tomorrow

A mother of two convicted of hiring a hitman to kill her wealthy partner and his sons will be sentenced tomorrow.

Sharon Collins faces jail after her murder plot was foiled when the would-be assassin tried to blackmail his target to call off the hit.

The 45 year old was found guilty of conspiring to kill PJ, Robert and Niall Howard between August 1 and September 26, 2006.

Her co-accused, Essam Eid, an Egyptian-born poker dealer with a Las Vegas address, was also convicted of demanding €100,000 with menace from Robert Howard on September 26, 2006.

But despite deliberating for almost 11 hours, the jury could not reach a verdict on the charges of conspiracy against Eid.

Collins, of Ballybeg House, Kildysart Road, Ennis, Co Clare, has been locked up in Mountjoy women's prison in Dublin since her conviction on July 9.

Throughout a seven-week trial that gripped the nation, the jury heard how Collins created the internet alias Lying Eyes and found Hitmanforhire.com, where she made contact with Tony Luciano - who was otherwise known as Essam Eid.

An elaborate plan was hatched for Eid to fly to Ireland to kill PJ Howard and his two sons Robert and Niall for US$90,000 dollars (€66,000).

However, when he arrived in Ireland he demanded €100,000 from Robert Howard to call off the hit.

Within 24 hours, Eid was arrested and put behind bars. The deadly poison ricin was later found in a contact lens case in his prison cell.

For Collins, a world - which included pretending to be Mrs Howard and living in her partner's large luxury home overlooking a lake and his Spanish getaway apartment - fell apart.

Ignoring the mounting evidence, Mr Howard has stood by his former partner.

Two psychological reports have been carried out on the woman, who will be sentenced by Mr Justice Roderick Murphy at the Central Criminal Court.

A medical report will be submitted for Eid, who was also found guilty of handling a stolen Toshiba laptop on September 26 and being in possession of items stolen from the offices at the Two Mile Inn Hotel in Limerick on September 27, the date of his arrest.

However, the 52-year-old was cleared of robbing the offices of Downes Howard the previous night.