Dublin woman accused of faking her own death further charged with perverting the course of justice

Mother of one Amy McAuley (34), now living at Connagh, Fethard-On-Sea, Co Wexford, was arrested in June

A Dublin woman accused of faking her death by using bogus medical reports has been further charged with perverting the course of justice.

Mother of one Amy McAuley (34), now living at Connagh, Fethard-On-Sea, Co Wexford, was arrested in June and given €500 bail.

It follows an investigation by the Pearse Street Garda Station detective unit.

The proceedings resumed at Dublin District Court on Thursday when gardaí put extra connected charges to her. They were for perverting the course of justice in an indictable offence in a court case in Dublin on January 23rd and at Pearse Street Garda station on May 30th this year.

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Detective Garda Des Rogers said the accused “made no reply to charge after caution”, and he added that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment. That means her case will go to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.

Judge Paula Murphy remanded her on bail to appear again on December 7th to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial to the higher court.

The other charges alleged she had registered her date of death as December 26th, 2022, and had obtained death certificates in the Irish and English versions of her name.

She is accused of one theft and six offences for using false instruments to induce another person to omit or provide some service.

She allegedly used a false medical certificate from a doctor in the name of Amy McAuley on May 8, 2022, at Pearse Street Garda station.

She is accused of using a false death notification form in the name of Amy McAuley on January 19, 2023, at Wexford Co. Council and in the name of Amy Nic Amhlaoibh at the Civil Registration Service at Mill Yard Lane, in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford on February 23rd, 2023.

She allegedly used a bogus Panda recycling receipt from a business on July 16th, 2020, at Three Ireland, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and stole nine mobile phones worth €3,199 from the telecom firm on the same date.

She was charged over a fake Rotunda Hospital medical report on November 23rd last year.

At her first hearing on June 24th, Detective Garda Rogers gave evidence that he arrested Ms McAuley in Fethard-On-Sea the previous day. He had alleged the accused let on to be her sister to have herself declared dead on December 26th last.

A death certificate was issued, and there was also a death notice, the court heard.

She was also declared dead under the Irish version of her name, married and moved to Wexford, living under a different name, it was claimed.

Detective Garda Rogers said she was accused of using forged documents, and the contested bail hearing was told she allegedly used a different name and contacted various agencies as her sister about the death.

Ms McAuley has been allowed legal aid after her solicitor described her as “not a woman of any means”. She had also surrendered her travel documents.

The woman, who has yet to indicate a plea, must sign on daily at her local garda station. She had to provide gardaí with a phone contact number, notify them of any address change, and not apply for new travel documents.