Richard Satchwell replied ‘guilty or not guilty – guilty' to gardai when charged with wife Tina's murder, jury told
MURDER accused Richard Satchwell replied to gardai when first charged with his wife's murder: 'Guilty, or not guilty, guilty.'
A jury today heard details of Mr Satchwell's charge by cops.
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Richard Satchwell was charged with the murder of his wife Tina on October 13, 2023
Credit: John Delea
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Mr Satchwell has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 45-year-old wife Tina in 2017
Credit: Handout
Detective
The detective said he then cautioned the accused for a second time. Det Gda Kelleher said Mr Satchwell had replied 'guilty or not guilty, guilty' to the charge.
Investigating gardai also denied that Mr Satchwell was made to carry out a 'perp walk' after he was charged with murdering his wife.
It came after defence counsel put it to a detective that his client was 'paraded before the press' while handcuffed.
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The trial also heard today that members of the press were able to tweet that Mr Satchwell was going to be charged before gardai had actually done so.
In cross-examination, Brendan Grehan SC, defending, asked Detective Garda David Kelleher whether gardai as a 'corporate entity' were 'overcompensating' for their initial failure in the investigation when Mr Satchwell was formally charged at Cashel Courthouse in October 2023 with Tina Satchwell's murder.
Counsel said the British truck driver was handcuffed to the front and 'marched' by five gardai into Cashel District
'You agree Mr Satchwell was taken out of the car and marched with all the gardai around him up to court?' asked Mr Grehan, which the detective agreed with.
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'There were full phalanx of the media present, cameras and the like?' continued Mr Grehan, which the detective also agreed with.
Asked whether this was a 'perp walk', Det Gda Kelleher replied: 'Now I know what one is, I wouldn't have used that terminology."
'INVASIVE SEARCH'
Mr Satchwell, 58, with an address at Grattan Street, Youghal,
The Central Criminal Court has heard that on March 24, 2017, Mr Satchwell told gardai 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.
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The accused formally reported Ms Satchwell missing the following May but her body was not discovered for over six years, when gardai 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.
Under cross-examination, Det Gda Kelleher told Mr Grehan that he could not recall explaining what the offence of murder was to the defendant in comparison to other forms of homicide, such as manslaughter.
SOLICITOR NOT PRESENT FOR CHARGE
Det Gda Kelleher agreed with defence counsel that throughout the accused's second detention, Mr Satchwell admitted he had lied about Tina 'having simply disappeared' and told gardai that his wife had died in the course of a struggle.
The detective also agreed that the accused had never deviated from that position throughout his entire detention.
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He told Mr Grehan that the defendant's solicitor Eddie Burke was not present when the accused was charged by gardai with the murder of his wife.
Asked whether Mr Burke had left Cobh Garda Station shortly before 7pm on the evening of October 13, the detective told Mr Grehan he did not know this at the time.
CHARGE QUERY
'It would appear no one had contacted Mr Burke to tell him his client was being charged?' asked Mr Grehan.
The detective said he had not contacted Mr Burke and also agreed no other gardai had.
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'Were you aware a number of members of the press were advised Mr Satchwell was going to be charged?' asked Mr Grehan.
'At the time of charging I didn't know anything about that,' replied Det Gda Kelleher.
HOMICIDE QUESTION
'But they were able to tweet about it before you charged him at 8.07pm?' pressed the barrister.
The detective said he was aware that the press had 'tweeted' about the charging.
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Asked whether he had 'any view' about the search of Mr Satchwell's home on Grattan Street in 2017, the detective said it allowed him to build a foundation from 2017 'to work on material available to me at that time'.
'Did gardai need a forensic archaeologist to tell them about whether most domestic homicides result in a body being buried?' asked Mr Grehan.
The detective said experts were consulted and they were invaluable.
Det Gda Kelleher also agreed with counsel that Mr Satchwell had stuck to his account as to how his wife had died, despite the efforts of gardai, in the course of his interviews.
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The trial continues tomorrow.
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