Overview
- Judge Orla Crowe imposed a four-year sentence with the final year suspended, leaving three years to serve.
- McAuley pleaded guilty to theft, forgery and perverting the course of justice between 2018 and 2023, including stealing €19,000 and nine mobile phones, and she has prior convictions including a 2015 suspended sentence over nearly €111,000 stolen.
- She filed a false death notification with Wexford County Council in January 2023 and posted multiple RIP.ie notices, leading to a scheduled trial being halted when she was believed dead.
- Using the alias "Winnie," she sought a €96,000 death-in-service payment from a Northern Ireland employer, which paid €9,000 that was never repaid.
- Gardaí said she forged medical reports, including one purporting to be from the Rotunda Hospital, and she later admitted wrongdoing while stating her husband was not involved.