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Sunday World
4 days ago
- General
- Sunday World
Murderer Richard Satchwell won over inmates with cooking skills in prison
Wife-killer had job in prison kitchens after impressing staff with his cooking abilities Satchwell is expected to return to Limerick Prison to serve his time behind bars Killer Richard Satchwell shared an isolation prison wing with Barbie Kardashian and Jonathan Dowdall – before winning over other inmates with his cooking skills. Satchwell is expected to return to Limerick Prison, where he has been in custody since his wife Tina's body was found buried under the stairs in the home. He will be spending a long part of his life with other killers in the lock-up who are already serving the life sentence he is due to get next week. When he first went into custody on October 2023 while awaiting trial, the English truck driver was placed the same isolation unit where Jonathan Dowdall and Barbie Kardashian are held. Satchwell is expected to return to Limerick Prison to serve his time behind bars But Satchwell, who has experience of prison, adapted quickly to life behind bars and was allowed to mix with the general population and got a job in the kitchens. He turned out to be a well-regarded cook and even prepared meals for the staff canteen, according to Sunday World sources. An unremarkable prisoner he is expected to get on fine in whatever prison he ends up while serving his time, it was added. He will also be entitled to apply to serve his sentence in his native UK and where he has family. During his five-week trial, Satchwell was held in Cloverhill Prison in west Dublin but is now likely to return to Limerick to serve his sentence. The nature of his crime initially meant there were concerns for his safety when first remanded into custody and he was put into the same wing as Dowdall and Kardashian. Victim Tina Satchwell Dowdall, is a former Sinn Féin councillor serving time for his part in the murder of David Byrne in the Regency Hotel attack. He also appeared as a prosecution witness in Gerry Hutch's trial for the same murder and was part of the Witness Protection Programme. Transgender Kardashian is serving a five-year sentence for making threats to kill her mother and recently was acquitted of making threats to kill a fellow prisoner and a member of staff. Satchwell won't be the only lifer to be jailed for killing a partner, joining Patrick Ballard who kicked his partner to death in a public toilet in Ennis in 2021. Richard Satchwell is working in prison kitchens News in 90 Seconds - 3rd June 2025 Stephen Cahoon's victim was also a woman – his pregnant ex-partner – who he strangled to death in her Derry home in 2008. Also a lifer is Daniel Whelan, who battered a mother of four to death who he had met at an addiction treatment centre in 2018 in Waterford city. Other killers serving life sentences in the prison include Kenneth Collopy, the son of gangland figure Brian Collopy, who shot dead a man in 2009. Another is Alex Friedman, who broke into a house and stabbed his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend at a house in Clonmel in 2007. Jonathan Dowdall Barbie Kardashian Patrick Ballard Mark Crawford, who stabbed his pal to death during booze and cocaine binge in 2018, is also doing life in the prison. After Satchwell is sentenced to the mandatory life sentence next week it will be open for him to appeal against his conviction. During the trial his legal team sought an application to have the murder charge withdrawn on the grounds that there was no evidence of intent. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan also applied for the jury to be discharged after the judge's charge to the jury which he described as another prosecution speech. Neither application was accepted by the judge and the proceedings went on until the verdict was delivered on Friday just after noon. Under the rules in Ireland a prisoner serving a life sentence is allowed to make an application for parole after serving 12 years. However, the average time being served before being released on licence is now closer to 22 years, which in Satchwell's case would mean he will be 80 years of age. One of those serving a life sentence in Limerick, Ross Stapelton, was sentenced to life in 2004 for the 2002 murder of man who died nine months after being beaten into a coma. While eventual release may come, lifers face being returned to prison if they break release conditions.


The Irish Sun
11-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
He never showed remorse for brutal murder of my sister, says Veronica Guerin's brother as killer plots fresh freedom bid
KILLER Brian 'Tosser' Meehan will discover over the coming weeks if he's to be released from prison. 4 Brian Meehan has launched a fresh bid for freedom Credit: 4 He is the only person convicted over the 1996 murder of journalist Veronica Guerin Credit: 4 Veronica was shot and killed in her car on the Naas Road Credit: Photocall Ireland The killer — who was a key member of mob boss Once he appears before the hearing, a decision will then be made on his request to be released from the His latest appearance before the parole board comes after his last attempt for freedom in 2023 ended in failure. Veronica's brother Jimmy has been notified of Meehan's hearing. READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS He told us: 'I can confirm I have received a phone call about Brian Meehan's parole hearing in the coming weeks. "I am not aware of him ever showing any remorse for the brutal murder of my sister. "The evidence is that he is of the same ilk as John Gilligan." At present, Meehan, 57, is currently being held at Shelton Abbey Open Prison in Co Most read in The Irish Sun Fears over his release emerged over the weekend after he moved into a single-occupancy living unit in the jail. He moved into the facility — used by inmates ahead of their full release — after we revealed last December how he had enjoyed secret meetings with his CURRENT LOCATION Since moving to the open prison in 2021, the callous killer, who was driving the motorbike when the brave journalist and mother was shot dead by hitman Patrick 'Dutchy' Holland on As part of our latest revelations on one of Ireland's most notorious gangland criminals, we also spoke to a former Speaking for the first time about his interactions with Meehan, retired Supt Fergus Treanor described the "I am not aware of him ever showing any remorse for the brutal murder of my sister." Jimmy Guerin The former senior officer added: 'Brian Meehan is a career criminal who was a key figure in a very violent criminal organisation. 'He has contested the legal process at every stage and never accepted his role as the person who drove the motorbike when a journalist and mother was brutally murdered. I think his links to serious criminality will always be of concern because he doesn't know anything else. 'When we were interviewing him I remember him as being very cold with little regard for people. 'He still has connections to organised crime so it won't be difficult for him to enter this world again.' 'RUTHLESS CRIMINAL' And Mr Treanor also spoke about Russell Warren, who testified against Meehan at his trial in 1999 and is now in the Witness Protection Programme. Mr Treanor added: 'We still have people in the Witness Protection Programme connected to this case and they will no doubt be notified of any possible release. 'He continues to deny involvement in the murder to this day and will always be a ruthless criminal.' Meehan is the last remaining member of Gilligan's despised gang who remains behind bars. The pair fell out after Gilligan told a 4 Veronica's brother Jimmy has been notified of Meehan's hearing Credit: Chris Doyle