THE former lover and target of 'Lying Eyes' Sharon Collins yesterday failed in an extraordinary attempt to prevent a judge jailing her for six years.

Property tycoon PJ Howard pleaded with the judge not to jail Collins for conspiring to murder him and his two sons. But his appeal fell on deaf ears and she was given a six-year sentence at the Central Criminal Court.

The mother-of-two listened to Mr Howard implore Mr Justice Roderick Murphy to show clemency, in a dramatic climax to the sensational 32-day trial.

Collins, who is planning to appeal her conviction, fought back tears as PJ Howard -- whose estate is valued at some €60m and which the State claimed was Collins' motive to hire a hitman -- revealed how he would have no difficulty living with her again.

"Sharon is, in my opinion, one of the nicest people you could ever have been fortunate to know," Mr Howard said.

He added that Collins was a caring, loving and a decent lady.

Collins, who protests her innocence, said through her solicitor that although she was convicted by a jury, she drew comfort from the fact that she had been "acquitted" by the man who refused to marry her.

Collins' co-accused, Essam Eid, an Egyptian-born Las Vegas poker dealer, was jailed for six years for extortion.

Despite already earning US$94,000 a year working at the renowned Bellagio casino, he was convicted of demanding €100,000 with menace from Robert Howard, on September 26, 2006.

Even after deliberating for almost 11 hours, the jury could not reach a verdict on the conspiracy charges against Eid and State lawyers yesterday decided not to prosecute on those charges.

Yesterday, Robert and Niall Howard detailed their horror at learning that their stepmother had sought to place a contract on their lives.

"We cannot understand how we were propelled from our normal daily lives into such a national drama and shudder at the realisation that, had the plan been effected, we could have been poisoned to death," the brothers said in a victim impact statement read out in court.

"We believe it will take a long time, if at all, before we can put the incident behind us.

"The degree of planning and the nature of the contract and the person by whom the contract was initiated, particularly in light of her relationship with our father, has exacerbated the situation."

It is likely to be Christmas 2012, at the earliest, before Collins is released.

Although she was handed a six-year sentence, she will probably serve only another four years and two months behind bars, when remission, good conduct and time already served are taken into account.

Collins' millionaire lifestyle in the west of Ireland and her plan to swindle her lover's inheritance crumbled when her would-be assassin tried to blackmail his target.

During her trial, the jury heard how, in the summer of 2006, Collins created an internet alias and through Hitmanforhire.com contacted Tony Luciano -- who was otherwise known as Essam Eid.

The pair hatched an elaborate plan and the hitman flew to Ireland with his wife to wipe-out PJ Howard and his two sons, Robert and Niall, for US$90,000 (€66,000). But when Eid landed, he tried to blackmail Mr Howard to call off the hit and was subsequently caught.

Investigators said the case centred on internet searches by Collins on information for inheritance and rights for co-habitants, and a partly written email Collins penned to a radio show, which was later recovered on a computer stolen from Mr Howard's workplace and dumped. In it, Collins said her life with her partner -- who she claimed tried to force her into lewd sex acts with him and others -- was unbearable.

On July 9, Collins, of Ballybeg House, Kildysart Road, Ennis, Co Clare, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder and that night swapped her luxurious life, and the chance of getting her hands on the Howards' €60m empire, for the women's section of Mountjoy prison.

Impeccably dressed in a dark suit and lilac blouse, with sons Gary (25) and David (23), she remained emotionless as she was sent back to her prison home for the next six years.

Support

Letters of support appealing for a lenient sentence were handed to the judge from the Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh, mayor of Ennis Town, Peter Considine, and her ex-husband Noel Collins -- who described her as a supportive and loving mother. The packed courtroom was stunned when PJ Howard took the stand.

Outside the court, Collins' solicitor, Eugene O'Kelly, said he had been instructed to appeal against the conviction.

"Ms Collins has been convicted by the jury and sentenced, but most importantly she has been acquitted by her partner, Mr Howard,'' said Mr O'Kelly.

"She takes great comfort from the support that Mr Howard has shown and she has asked that I apologise on her behalf for the great hurt, embarrassment and distress that has been caused to him by the use by the state of an incomplete letter which was taken out of context."

Victims split on impact of crime

PJ HOWARD

I have known Sharon Collins for approximately nine years. During that time she had made a good home for us all and we were extremely happy together and got on very well. Sharon has a very positive outlook on life and she was very loving and giving of her time to our extended families. Sharon always kept an even keel and I have never known her to do anything drastic over those years...

Sharon is, in my opinion, one of the nicest people you could ever have been fortunate to know... I will not give up on Sharon and would have no hesitation whatsoever in living with her again.

In view of the guilty verdict returned by the jury I would ask your Lordship to consider Sharon's redeeming features and exercise your discretion and ask you to be lenient in your sentencing. I am asking the Court not to impose a custodial sentence as I do not believe that Sharon poses any threat to my sons.

ROBERT AND NIALL HOWARD

The incident has caused significant changes in our lives. The notion that we were made the subject of a contract to kill has affected us socially and emotionally. The degree of planning and the nature of the contract and the person by whom the contract was initiated, particularly in light of her relationship with our father, has exasperated the situation for us. As the injured parties, we have become more self-conscious and are now constantly looking over our shoulders and are ill at ease. The crime has impacted on our respective social and business lives. We are not as confident as we were and we feel that the respect that had existed among our peers in our business dealings is not the same as it used to be. Furthermore we believe the incident has weakened the quality of our relationship with our father. We... shudder at the realisation that had the plan been effected we could have been poisoned to death. We believe it will take a long time, if at all, before we can put the incident behind us.

- Dearbhail McDonald Legal Editor