Woman Stages Her Own Death to Evade Court Trial on Theft and Fraud Charges

In a remarkable case of deception, a woman faked her own death to avoid a court trial on theft and fraud charges. Amy McAuley, 35, has been sentenced to three years in prison for her elaborate scheme.

Details of the Case

McAuley was scheduled to appear at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in January 2023. She faced charges related to theft and attempted deception. In 2018, McAuley used altered documents to secure a €10,000 loan from KBC Bank. She later attempted to obtain a second loan of €5,000 but was unsuccessful.

To evade trial, McAuley contacted the gardaí, posing as her sister, claiming that she had died. In January 2023, she submitted a false death notification to Wexford County Council. This led to the issuance of death certificates using both English and Irish spellings of her name.

Investigation and Discovery

By mid-2023, gardaí discovered that McAuley was alive. An investigation revealed multiple death notices posted on rip.ie, one of which stated that she died in France. A fictitious undertaker created by McAuley also contributed to these false claims.

Prior Crimes

• Stole over €55,000 from an employer in 2015.
• Stole €3,000 worth of mobile phones from Three Ireland in 2021.
• Claimed a death-in-service payment while pretending to be deceased to secure €9,000 for her child’s surgery.

Court Sentencing

During the sentencing, Judge Orla Crowe described McAuley’s actions as a “deliberately planned deception.” The judge emphasized the significant breach of trust in her behavior. McAuley acted alone, and there was no evidence that she was living extravagantly.

Judge Crowe noted that some of McAuley’s offenses approached the extreme limits of acceptable behavior. The court considered the amount of money involved and McAuley’s prior convictions as aggravating factors. The judge imposed a sentence of four years, with the final 12 months suspended under strict conditions, including 12 months of supervision by Probation Services following her release.

Legal Proceedings

McAuley pleaded guilty to various charges, including:

• Using a false instrument through the submission of a death notification form on January 19, 2023.
• Attempting to pervert the course of justice on January 23, 2023.
• Forging a medical report on November 23, 2022.
• Multiple counts of theft and possession of the proceeds of crime between November 2015 and May 2023.

Previously, McAuley had four convictions related to theft and deception. She received a suspended sentence for stealing nearly €111,000 from a former employer, with €81,000 still outstanding.