Richard Satchwell has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, whose body was found buried beneath a staircase in their home more than six years after she vanished.
The 58-year-old was convicted last Friday by a unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, following nine hours and 28 minutes of deliberation. Satchwell had denied killing Tina between March 19 and 20, 2017, but the jury rejected his claims.
At today’s sentencing hearing, Tina’s family described her as a kind, gentle soul who loved animals and was cruelly taken by someone she trusted.
“She was murdered by someone who claimed to love her,” said cousin Sarah Howard. “The emotional toll of her loss is something I will carry with me always.”
Tina’s half-sister, Lorraine Howard, spoke of the horror at learning her body had been hidden in their own home.
“It sends shivers down my spine every time I think about it,” she said. “I will never be able to forgive Richard Satchwell for what he has done.”
Tina and Richard Satchwell married in the UK on her 20th birthday before relocating to Co Cork, Ireland. They settled in Youghal in 2016.
On March 24, 2017 — four days after her death — Satchwell told police that Tina had left their home following a breakdown in their relationship. He also claimed she had taken €26,000 in cash from savings hidden in their attic, which the court later heard never existed.
He officially reported her missing two months later and repeatedly spoke to media over the years, insisting she had left him voluntarily.
In October 2023, Tina’s remains were discovered buried in plastic under a concrete floor beneath the stairs of their home. Satchwell told investigators she had attacked him with a chisel, and that he used a dressing gown belt to restrain her. He claimed she “went limp” during the struggle, but the jury dismissed his version of events.
During sentencing, his lawyer, Brendan Grehan SC, said Satchwell intends to appeal the verdict and maintains he “never intended to kill Tina.”
