Satchwell told gardaí he had to 'get rid of the memories', court hears

RTÉ News​

15-05-2025

The Central Criminal Court has heard how Richard Satchwell told gardaí that he had to "rediscover himself" and "get rid of the memories" following his wife's death.
A garda interview with Mr Satchwell, recorded on 13 October 2023, was played to the jury at his trial.
When told he would be shown photographs, Mr Satchwell told Detective Sergeant David Noonan that he was not going to look, if they were images of his wife's body.
"I want to remember her how she was," he told gardaí, adding he would "respectfully" ask not to be put in that situation.
In the interview, Mr Satchwell was shown a photo of Tina Satchwell sitting in a room in their house on a black sofa, taken on Christmas morning in 2016, which was three months before she was reported missing.
He agreed the house was clean, saying he was the "chief cleaner", but added that he was not saying his wife was "lazy".
He was also shown a photo of the interior of the house taken on 17 June 2017, at the time of a garda search, and was asked if he replaced the glass in one of the doors.
He said that he had not replaced the glass and had answered the question numerous times.
"Maybe you have cotton wool in your ears," he told Detective Sergeant Noonan.
Asked about replacing the bath in the house, Mr Satchwell said he replaced it because the enamel was damaged and he could not repair it.
He said he got a replacement jacuzzi on DoneDeal in Glanmire, Co Cork, for €250 and fitted it himself.
Later in the interview, Detective Sergeant Noonan told Mr Satchwell the story he was telling did not make sense.
He said the "second story you came in here with is starting to come apart. It's come apart already".
During the interview, Mr Satchwell said: "I can see it is your job to tear it apart to bury me."
Detective Sergeant Noonan replied that his job was to follow the evidence.
Later in the court proceedings, a statement from Sarah Dobson was read into the record. She had known the Satchwells for three years after selling them a dog.
She recounted how she kept in contact with Ms Satchwell and would meet up every other week.
The court heard about how Ms Dobson had met Mr Satchwell on the May Bank Holiday Monday in 2017 at a car boot sale.
She said Mr Satchwell was selling Ms Satchwell's clothes, boots and a bag, adding that "nothing of Richard's was on sale".
Ms Dobson said she found it strange.
In the statement, Ms Dobson said Mr Satchwell had told her that Ms Satchwell was very ill in hospital and was with her sister in England.
She said he told her that there was bacteria in the walls of the house that made her sick and also caused a parrot to die.
She said he told her it would take between €80,000 - €100,000 to fix.
The court also heard that Ms Dobson said the Satchwell's dog was trying to get away from him.
The trial continues.