Debbie Paget, a self-proclaimed “psychic medium,” has been sentenced to one year in jail for deceiving a man into giving her €10,000. Paget convinced the man that his deceased father had relayed a message to her, warning that if he did not provide the money, his soul would be claimed by the devil. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found Paget guilty of dishonestly inducing James Byrne to hand over the sum, describing her as an “old-fashioned confidence trickster.”
During the trial, James Byrne testified that Paget had befriended his family while working as a home carer for a neighbor. She invited him for a reading, which he believed would reveal insights about his future. However, during the session, Paget brought up his late father and informed him that his father had instructed him to give her €10,000. Feeling pressured and believing his father had indeed communicated with Paget, Byrne promised to provide the money. Paget went as far as telling him that failing to comply would result in a sinful act, leading to damnation by the devil. Byrne eventually withdrew the cash from his bank account and handed it over to Paget.
Paget, publicly known as a “psychic medium,” claimed that she possessed the ability to communicate with the dead and insisted that she had never charged anyone for her services in her 40 years of practice. She denied conducting any reading for the complainants and refuted receiving any money from them, expressing bewilderment as to why they would fabricate such claims.
In his victim impact statement, Byrne revealed that he had experienced severe depression following the incident and struggled with sleepless nights. He expressed his disappointment in Paget, whom he initially believed to be a decent person, but realized she had taken advantage of him. He acknowledged that he had learned a valuable lesson and declared himself a survivor rather than a victim.
The court acknowledged that there was no evidence regarding the whereabouts of the money. While some references to a car and a loan were made during the trial, the prosecution failed to provide specific evidence regarding the money’s use.
Supporting witnesses described Paget as resilient and funny. They discussed her personal grief over the loss of her youngest daughter, who had cystic fibrosis and passed away at the age of eight. Paget had written a book detailing her experiences with the death of a child. One witness commended Paget’s forthrightness and determination, while another praised her caring nature, expressing willingness to employ her as a carer again.
Paget’s defense counsel, Karl Monahan, shed light on her troubled upbringing, marked by domestic violence and a cruel and sadistic mother. At the age of 14, Paget fled her home and sought refuge in a shelter for young girls, where she stayed until 17. Monahan revealed that Paget became addicted to methadone after her daughter’s birth and subsequent diagnosis with cystic fibrosis. However, she maintained that she never used any other drugs. Her daughter’s death in 1999 further devastated her.
The presiding Judge Pauline Codd acknowledged the vulnerability of James Byrne, emphasizing his demeanor in court. Codd noted that Paget had exploited Byrne by making supernatural threats to extort money from him. She described Paget’s actions as cunning and manipulative, stating that she had taken advantage of Byrne instead of providing him with spiritual comfort. Codd emphasized that even though the threats seemed fantastical, Byrne genuinely believed them to be true and felt compelled to comply. The judge asserted that Paget’s objective was to enrich herself by manipulating a vulnerable individual whose vulnerabilities she knew how to exploit. Codd characterized Paget as an “old-fashioned confidence trickster” and deemed the offense a breach of trust.
Despite the absence of remorse or attempts to repay the money, Judge Codd recognized Paget’s own vulnerabilities. She sentenced Paget to 18 months in prison, suspending the final six months on strict conditions.
