A terminally ill woman who used a penknife when she tried to rob a man has been given an 18-month suspended sentence by Judge Kevin Haugh. Sharon Howard (24), single, unemployed, of Rutland Avenue, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to rob Mr James Buckley, on August 27th, 1995, at Arbour Hill, Dublin. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told she scraped the palm of one of his hands until it was bloodied. Ms Isobel Kennedy, defending, asked Judge Haugh to take into consideration that a lot had happened since Howard committed the crime and it would be of no use to imprison a terminally ill woman.