A retired Garda sergeant says he suspected something ‘criminal’ had happened to Tina Satchwell in the weeks after she was last seen.

John Sharkey was the sergeant in charge at Youghal Garda Station in County Cork in March 2017.

On the second day of the trial, the jury heard a 12-hour search took place at the Satchwell home at 3 Grattan Street in Youghal from around 7.30AM on June 7th, 2017.

Mr Sharkey said he and other Gardaí became suspicious something untoward had happened to Ms Satchwell following a lack of progress in tracing her.

He said up to 10 Gardaí were involved in the search, which also included a Lumino test, which is used to detect blood.

Crime Scene Investigator Cathal Whelan gave evidence of photographing the house, describing it as untidy, with unwashed dishes, dog faeces on the floor and a birdcage which looked like it had not been cleaned for some time.

Richard Satchwell of Grattan Street, Youghal, County Cork has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Satchwell at the same address in March 2017.

First day

On The Pat Kenny Show, reporter Jamie O’Hara set out what the jury had heard on their first day. 

“Geraldine Small began the trial here in Dublin yesterday with an overview of some of the evidence the jury might be hearing over the next few weeks,” he said. 

“It’s very important to clarify that this was an overview only and is not evidence itself - that will be heard over the next few weeks. 

“Richard Satchwell was arrested on October 12th, 2023, after decomposed human remains were found in black sheeting in a three foot grave that had been concreted over. 

“Ms Small said Mr Satchwell then told Gardaí a series of events which was completely different, she said, from the one he had consistently told since Teena was reported missing in March 2017. 

“She said the jury would hear that on March 20th, 2017, Richard Satchwell had woken up early and had been in a shed at the back of the house, doing some jobs. 

“He said he then went back inside the house at around 9AM to find his wife Teena at the bottom of the stairs and she was scraping a plasterboard which he had installed with a chisel. 

“The prosecution then said Richard Satchwell had told Gardaí that Teena flew at him with a chisel when he asked her what she was doing; she then tried to stab him in the head with the chisel. 

“In the struggle, he says he falls backwards, is trying to defend himself and can only find a belt and was holding up her weight at around neck level with the belt, before her body became limp and she died. 

“Ms Small says the jury will hear evidence from that interview when she says Richard Satchwell says he put Teena’s body in a chest freezer out in the back of the house, before bringing her back inside and burying her some days later.” 

Richard Satchwell leaves the District Court in Cashel, Co Tipperary, after being charged in connection with the murder of his wife Tina Satchwell. Picture date: Saturday October 14, 2023.

Jamie added that members of the jury also heard the prosecution believe there are inconsistencies in what Mr Satchwell has told Gardaí over the years. 

“They will hear evidence that Richard Satchwell consistently said his wife had asked him to go to Dungarvan - which is in County Waterford - to do some shopping at Aldi,” he said. 

“When he returned, she was just gone; he went to Fermoy Garda Station on March 24th to report to them that he had not seen Teena for four days, that she had left him. 

“But that he wasn’t overly concerned for her welfare because this had happened because of a deterioration in their marital relationship. 

“That wasn’t a formal missing person’s report at the time; he said her phone was left on the kitchen counter and that her keys were on the floor to their house at No 3 Grafton Street, Youghal.” 

The trial continues.

Main image: Tina Satchwell.