Court told there were no injuries to any of Tina Satchwell's bones at the time of her death

Richard Satchwell told gardaí that his wife "flew" at him with a chisel and described holding the belt of her bathrobe at her neck "until she got heavier", when he was re-arrested on suspicion of her murder after her body was removed from under the stairs of their Cork home.

"Before I know it, it had all stopped, it just stopped. I put my arms around her, she fell down on top of me. I didn't know what to do. I held her for a good 20 minutes or half an hour. The two dogs just there sitting looking. They came over, started licking her, I just laid there," said Mr Satchwell.

The English truck driver told detectives he had kissed Tina, who he said he called "my Irish rose", on the head but "there was no taking it back......shame, panic I don't know".

He said his wife wasn't a bad woman "just angry at times" and when she was calm "she was loving".

The Central Criminal Court jury also heard that Mr Satchwell told officers he had buried his wife under the stairs because part of it "wasn't concreted for some reason, muck and stone".

He added: "I was panicked, once I'd it told I couldn't go back on it.....I ain't got no excuses once its done I couldn't take it back".

Evidence

Evidence has already been given of the moment gardaí uncovered the body of Tina Satchwell in a grave dug almost one metre deep beneath the stairway of their home, over six years after she was reported missing.

Earlier today, a consultant forensic anthropologist told the murder trial that there were no injuries to any of Ms Satchwell's bones, including the hyoid bone, at the time of death, and no evidence she had ever suffered a fracture.

Expert witness, Ms Laureen Buckley, said she had identified the remains of an adult female who was probably over 45 years of age and because the body was lying face down in a gravesite, it was "more preserved on the front". 

Under cross-examination, the witness told Brendan Grehan SC, defending, that the hyoid bone is "sometimes but not always" found damaged in strangulation cases.

In her evidence, Ms Buckley told Gerardine Small SC, prosecuting, she studies bones and assists the state pathology office when bodies are decomposed or skeletonised.

The witness said she was contacted on October 12, 2023, by assistant state pathologist Dr Margot Bolster and told a body had been discovered in a planned search of a missing person's house in Youghal. 

Ms Buckley said when she went to the scene at Grattan Street in Youghal on October 12, 2023, Ms Satchwell's body had not been fully excavated and she had offered assistance to the forensic archaeologists.

The witness said the body, which was lying face down, was wrapped in plastic and had a slab over the head area. She said there was enough preservation of the soft tissue to identify the body as female.

Ms Buckley said there was no evidence of any fracture to any of the bones including the skull at the time of death and the hyoid bone was intact.

In cross-examination, the witness confirmed to Mr Grehan there was no evidence Ms Satchwell had ever suffered a fracture.

Conference

The next witness, Detective Garda David Kelleher told Ms Small that he attended a conference at Midleton Garda Station on the evening of October 11, 2023, where he became aware of the discovery of remains buried beneath the stairs at Grattan Street.

Mr Satchwell was rearrested at 12.02pm on October 12, 2023, at O'Brien Place in Youghal on suspicion of the murder of his wife Tina. The accused was brought to Cobh Garda Station where he was interviewed by gardaí at 3.35pm.

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

The Central Criminal Court has heard that on March 24, 2017, Mr Satchwell told gardaí that his wife Tina 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 conducting 'an invasive search' of the Satchwell's home found her decomposed remains in a grave that had been dug underneath the stairs.

Searched

Mr Satchwell’s home was searched by a team of 10 gardaí on June 7, 2017, but the jury have been told this was a non-invasive operation.

The trial has heard gardaí first went with a search warrant to Grattan Street in Youghal at 5pm on October 10, 2023, where they arrested Mr Satchwell for the murder of Tina Satchwell on or about March 19, 2017, and brought him to Cobh Garda Station. An invasive search of Grattan Street was conducted simultaneously, with gardaí bringing in building equipment to excavate the couple's home.

Having been detained at interview, the accused was released from custody at 4.39pm on October 11, but the 'ongoing search' continued at Grattan Street.

In her opening address, Ms Small 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 (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.