‘Uncertainty as to whether she would face criminal prosecution was a significant stressor’: Coroner

Ex-Casey mayor Ms Stapledon was reportedly living in fear as she waited on a report from IBAC into allegations of corrupt council conduct when she tragically took her own life.

Former mayor Amanda Stapledon took her own life during an IBAC probe into Casey Council. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A Coroner investigating the tragic death of ex-Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon has criticised the state’s corruption watchdog for keeping witnesses in the dark.

Friends of Ms Stapledon say she was living in fear waiting on a report from the independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC)’s into allegations of corrupt conduct at the Casey Council – known as Operation Sandon – when she took her own life in January 2022.

The 58-year-old had given evidence as a witness 22 months prior but had not yet been told that IBAC not did not intend to bring criminal proceedings against her, Coroner David Ryan has found.

Mr Ryan, who released his findings into Ms Stapledon’s death on Tuesday, said her “stress and anxiety would have been appreciably alleviated had she been informed”.

“The uncertainty as to whether she would face criminal prosecution was a significant stressor which became exacerbated over time,” he wrote.

Cr Amanda Stapledon's funeral in Berwick. Photo: Arsineh Houspian

Mr Ryan said while it was “in the public interest” that IBAC conduct public hearings where

appropriate, and at times, place restrictions on witnesses to discuss evidence, “a delicate balance may need to be struck” to protect the mental health of witnesses.

He recommended that the corruption watchdog advise witnesses “as early as possible after a decision has been made, that their conduct is not under contemplation for the purpose of prosecution”.

The Coroner, however, noted that four days before her death, Ms Stapledon’s lawyers were sent a copy of extracts from the draft report which stated IBAC did not intend to bring criminal proceedings against her or refer her to any prosecutorial body.

At the time of her death, the report had not yet been read by Ms Stapledon’s lawyers and they had not yet provided a copy of it to her.

Ms Stapledon’s friend Kerril Burns said, in the months leading up to her death, the former mayor was terrified that IBAC would prosecute her and that her legal fees would cause her family, including her son who suffers from disabilities, to lose their home.

“(She) had it in her head that she was being prosecuted and she was going to be sent to jail,” he said.

Following the release of the report, IBAC told the Herald Sun it “accepts the Coroner’s Court recommendation”.

“We will now review the operation of our legislation and associated practices and consider what we can do to address the issue raised,” a spokesman said.

The findings of Operation Sandon are yet to be released.