A woman has been accused of faking her own death, using bogus medical reports in Dublin and Wexford and living under a new name following a “complex” investigation.
Amy McCauley (33) was allegedly gone but not forgotten by the detective unit at Pearse Street Garda station in Dublin.
The mother of one, with an address at Connagh, Fethard-On-Sea, Co Wexford, appeared before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court on Saturday.
She faces seven charges and claims that 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.
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She is accused of one theft and six offences for using false instruments to induce another person to accept them as genuine and, by reason of so accepting them, to do some act, or to make some omission, or to provide some service.
She allegedly used a false medical certificate from a doctor in the name of Amy McAuley on May 8th, 2022, at Pearse Street Garda station.
She is accused of using a false death notification form in the name of Amy McAuley on January 19th, 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 is charged with using a fake medical report from the Rotunda Hospital on November 23rd last year.
Death notice
Det Gda Des Rogers gave evidence that he arrested Ms McCauley in Fethard-On-Sea at 8.30am on Friday. She was brought to Pearse Street station and detained.
He said: “She made no reply to each charge after caution.”
The detective objected to bail due to the possibility of flight risk.
He alleged Ms McCauley let on to be her own sister to have herself declared dead on December 26rh.
A death certificate was issued, and there was also a death notice, the court heard.
The judge heard claims that she was also declared dead under the Irish version of her name , married and moved to Wexford, living under a different name.
Det Gda Rogers said Ms McCauley was accused of using forging documents. The court heard she had allegedly used a different name and contacted various agencies as her sister about the death.
The detective expected “more serious charges”.
Defence solicitor Conor McGreevy pleaded for bail and asked the court to note his client had a young child.
He submitted that the case was “a quite complex matter”; a direction for trial on indictment was expected.
The solicitor acknowledged that the court would have some concerns about evading justice based on the nature of the allegations.
He also said there were “unique circumstances in relation to death certificates”.
However, he pointed out that Ms McCauley had surrendered her travel documents and would undertake not to apply for replacements. She still enjoyed the presumption of innocence and had a stable family and support.
He urged the judge to release her under “stringent” terms.
Judge Smyth granted bail with a €500 bond and ordered Ms McCauley, who is yet to indicate a plea, to sign on daily at her local Garda station, provide gardaí with a phone contact number, notify of any address change, and undertake not to apply for new travel documents.
She must appear again on July 6th for directions from the DPP.
Legal aid was granted after the judge was handed a statement of her means.