'Lying Eyes' woman to write book on case

THE WOMAN at the centre of the “Lying Eyes” case is now living at an undisclosed location and is writing a book about the case in which she will protest her innocence.

Sharon Collins’s solicitor Patrick Moylan said yesterday it was “a source of sorrow” for her that she would not be returning to her home town of Ennis.

Ms Collins was released from the Dóchas centre at Mountjoy Prison on Monday. Mr Moylan confirmed she was now residing at a “secret location” in Ireland to avoid media intrusion.

Ms Collins (47) had served almost four years of a six-year sentence after being convicted of hiring Essam Eid (56) to kill her partner, PJ Howard, and his two sons.

“Sharon would much rather come and live with her family and friends in Ennis and integrate with them but she can’t because of the media attention it would bring to them,” Mr Moylan said.

He confirmed Ms Collins was writing a book on the case. “The contents of the book are purely a matter for Sharon, but it is her account of the case.” He said negotiations were in train with a number of publishers.

Ms Collins is restricted from speaking directly to the media until December when her prison term comes to an end.

A Prison Service spokesman said it could not comment on individual cases. There was no general prohibition on a prisoner earning money, from book sales or otherwise, while serving a sentence.The Press Council said its code of practice did not cover the syndication or printing extracts of the written work of a prisoner in the media.