Jury told of ‘gold standard’ interview with Richard Satchwell

The jury in the trial of Richard Satchwell has heard that gardaí employed enhanced interviewing techniques when questioning the accused about his wife's disappearance.

A detective sergeant told the Central Criminal Court jury today that the "enhanced cognitive interview" used by gardaí is recognised as "one of the gold standards" in statement-taking, as it is witness-led.

The trial has heard that on March 24, 2017, Mr Satchwell told gardaí that his wife Tina Satchwell had left their home four days earlier but that he had no concerns over her welfare, feeling she had left due to a deterioration in their relationship.

The accused formally reported Ms Satchwell missing the following May but her body was not discovered for over six years, when gardaí in October 2023 found her decomposed remains in a grave that had been dug underneath the stairs of her home.

In her opening address, Gerardine Small SC, prosecuting, told the jury that after the body was recovered, Mr Satchwell told gardaí that he lost his footing and fell to the ground when his wife tried to stab him with a chisel. He told detectives that he held her weight off with a belt but that in a matter of seconds, she was dead in his arms.

Mr Satchwell, aged 58, with an address at Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 45-year-old wife Tina Satchwell - nee Dingivan - at that address between March 19 and March 20, 2017, both dates inclusive.

Detective Sergeant David Noonan today told Ms Small that he met Mr Satchwell by appointment on June 20, 2021 at an interview suite in Blackpool in Cork to take a statement from him. The witness said this was different to a traditional statement, where a garda sits down with the person and the statement is written out. He said an enhanced cognitive interview takes place away from a garda station and it is witness led.

The detective said a relaxed environment was created and he [the detective sgt] did a lot of the talking at first before control was handed over to the witness Mr Satchwell.

He added: "The enhanced cognitive interview is recognised as one of the gold standards of taking a witness statement as it is witness led and everything is based on what they are saying".

The detective said the enhanced cognitive interview is "forensic" and gardaí get a lot more detail when going down this route. He said at the conclusion of the interview it is read back to Mr Satchwell so he can make corrections and alterations before signing it.

At the outset of the interview on June 20, Det Sgt Noonan told Mr Satchwell that he could take a break at any time and asked him to switch off his mobile phone.

The detective thanked Mr Satchwell for coming to make the statement and outlined to him that it could take some time. He told the accused it was "a safe place" and the only people present were themselves and the door was locked so no one could come in.

Mr Satchwell agreed with the officer that this statement was different to other statements he had made to gardaí. Det Sgt Noonan told the accused he would be handing over control to him in the interview whereby he would be "doing all the talking".

Det Sgt Noonan told the accused that detail was very important and to take it that he [the det sgt] knew nothing. He asked Mr Satchwell to tell him things that he might consider insignificant and to tell him everything "in as much detail as possible".

Det Sgt Noonan said he would hand the interview over to Mr Satchwell and asked him to tell him everything about Tina Satchwell in as much detail as possible.

The trial continues this afternoon before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.