Tina Satchwell case: Gardaí serve book of evidence on Richard Satchwell 

A book of evidence has been served on truck driver Richard Satchwell who has been sent forward for trial to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Dublin charged with the murder of his wife Tina.

The 57 year old was charged in October of last year with the murder, contrary to common law, of Ms Satchwell on March 20th 2017, at a location in Cork.

Mr Satchwell was charged after gardaí found the skeletal remains of Ms Satchwell while excavating a concrete floor and walled up area underneath the stairwell of her home in Grattan Street in Youghal, Co Cork. She was reported missing in March 2017.

Today at a sitting of Clonmel District Court in Co Tipperary, Sgt Tom O’Brien said that the book of evidence had been formally served on Mr Satchwell.

Investigating garda Dt Garda David Kelleher said that he served the book of evidence on Mr Satchwell at 10.07am today. 

Judge Brian O’Shea explained to Mr Satchwell that the Director of Public Prosecutions has consented that he be tried by indictment in front of a judge and jury at the Central Criminal Court. He remained the British man in custody to appear before the next sessions of the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.

Judge O’Shea administered the alibi warning and ordered the release of video copies of garda interviews with Mr Satchwell to the defence. Legal aid was assigned in the name of defence solicitor Eddie Burke. It was extended to cover both a junior and senior counsel.

Mr Satchwell was represented in court today by solicitor Aidan Leahy who deputised for Mr Burke. Mr Leahy confirmed receipt of the case file. He said he had no applications to make.

Mr Satchwell was in the court for the short hearing. He was a grey tracksuit top and pants and was not required to speak during the short hearing.

Two weeks ago Judge Brian O’Shea warned that the case was at risk of being struck out today unless the book of evidence was served on Mr Satchwell. He said that Mr Satchwell had been in custody for over five months.

Meanwhile, Mr Satchwell previously sought bail at a High Court sitting at Cloverhill Court. Gardai objected to bail saying that the accused was a flight risk.

Refusing the application, Judge Siobhan Lankford said that Mr Satchwell faces "very serious charges, the most serious charges on the criminal canon."

Mr Satchwell first appeared in court on October 14, 2023 in connection with the alleged offence.

On that occasion evidence of arrest charge and caution was given by Detective Garda David Kelleher. Dt Garda Kelleher said that Mr Satchwell had been formally charged at Cobh Garda Station the previous day with the murder of his wife. Legal aid was granted in the case.

Tina Satchwell was a native of St Bernard’s Place in Fermoy, Co Cork who was living in Youghal at the time of her death. She was reported missing on March 24,  2017 by her husband Richard.

After she was reported missing gardaí followed 400 lines of inquiry, watched hundreds of hours of CCTV and took witness statements from 170 people. A major sea and land search was carried out by gardaí following her disappearance. In March 2018 gardaí led a major search for Tina in Mitchel’s Wood in Castlemartyr, Co Cork.

In March of last year year on the sixth anniversary of Tina’s disappearance, gardaí issued a renewed appeal for information in a bid to locate her.

Tina Satchwell would have turned 50 in 2022. She hailed from a family of eight and is survived by her siblings. Vigils in her memory have been held in Youghal and Fermoy. A private family funeral has also taken place.