Jury in Richard Satchwell's murder trial continues deliberations

Independent

3 days ago

A jury is continuing to consider its verdict in the trial of murder accused Richard Satchwell on a fourth day of deliberations.
The 58-year-old has denied murdering his wife Tina at their home in Co Cork in 2017.
Mr Satchwell, of Grattan Street in Youghal, is accused of murdering his wife between March 19 and 20 2017.
Her remains were found under the stairs in the living room of their home in October 2023, six years after Mr Satchwell, originally from Leicester, reported her missing.
The panel at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin was sent out by Mr Justice Paul McDermott at 11.34am on Friday.
They have been deliberating verdicts for a total of eight hours and 37 minutes since Tuesday.
The time does not include breaks.
The jury was previously told it must 'consider carefully' any reasonable possibility that what the accused says about his wife's death is true.
It has also been told to consider the reasons why he went to elaborate lengths to deceive his wife's family and Irish police to persuade them she was still alive, all while knowing she was dead.
The judge told the jurors there are a number of verdicts open to them, including guilty of murder, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty on the basis of self-defence, which would lead to an acquittal.
They have also been told to examine all material and statements put before them throughout the five-week trial.
The jury heard from more than 50 witnesses including gardai involved in the investigation.
Gardai discovered Mrs Satchwell's skeletal remains buried under the stairs of their home in October 2023 after a search of the property in Grattan Street.
Her badly decomposed body was found wrapped in a soiled sheet and covered with a black plastic sheet.
She was wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown, with the belt of the gown wrapped around her.
State pathologist Dr Margot Bolster said she could not determine the exact cause of death because of the advanced state of decomposition.
During Garda interviews, Mr Satchwell claimed that on the morning of March 20, he had found his wife standing at the bottom of the stairs with a chisel in her hand, scraping at the plasterboard.
He claimed she came at him with the chisel, and he fell back on to the floor.
He said Mrs Satchwell tried to stab him multiple times with the chisel and that he grabbed her clothing and restrained her by putting the belt of the robe against her neck.
Mr Satchwell said that in a very short period of time, his wife went limp and fell into his arms.
He said he then placed her body on the couch in the living room before moving her to the chest freezer and then burying her under the stairs.
Her remains were found by gardai more than six years after she was reported missing.