Man who faked death gets 2 years for fraud

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A New Zealand man who faked his death in 2002 and used a name taken from a gravestone to build a new life was sentenced Friday to more than two years.

Bruce James Dale, 43 was convicted of insurance fraud, the New Zealand Herald reported. His estranged wife and their sons received a large life insurance payment after he was declared dead in 2004.

After leaving his car in a coastal area near Auckland, Dale adopted the name Michael Francis Peach, which belonged to a baby who had died years before 10 days after birth. He moved to Christchurch on the South Island and built up a business.

Dale was arrested this year after he applied for a passport using his real name.

In an interview, Dale said that police would have found him if anyone had made a serious effort.

"You could do what I did in a week. The police stated that I went to extreme lengths. Well, they are going to think that because they want to make it sound as if they did their job properly," he told the Herald.

At the time of his disappearance, he said, he was dealing with financial problems as well as the breakdown of his marriage. He said that he also did not get on well with most of his family, although he missed his children.