THE GARDA FILE on the Tina Satchwell case is being considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions, a court in Co Tipperary has heard. 

Richard Satchwell (57) who is a native of Leicester in the UK appeared by video link in Clonmel District Court today having previously been charged with the murder of his wife. 

The former truck driver appeared before Judge Brian O’Shea having been charged in October of last year with the murder, contrary to common law, of Tina Satchwell on 20 March 2017, at a location in Cork. 

He was charged after gardaí found the skeletal remains of Tina Satchwell while excavating a concrete floor and walled up area underneath the stairwell of her home in Grattan Street in Youghal, Co Cork. She was reported missing in March 2017. 

Today, Sergeant Tom O’Brien told the court that the file on the case has been received by the Office of the DPP. 

“The DPP has the file. They are considering it in relation to a charge.” 

Sergeant O’Brien requested that Richard Satchwell be remanded in custody for a period of four weeks.

Solicitor Aidan Leahy, stepping in for defence solicitor Eddie Burke, said that consent was required for a four week adjournment. He said that Burke had been unable to get instructions on consent from his client prior to the hearing. 

Judge O’Shea told Richard Satchwell that he could make an order for a remand in custody of a fortnight. 

“I can put the matter back for two weeks without your consent or I can put the matter back for four weeks with your consent.” 

Richard Satchwell, who has been in custody since mid October of last year, spoke only to give his consent to a four week adjournment of the case until 13 February next. 

Judge O’Shea remanded Satchwell in custody until 13 February next. He warned that on the next date, any adjournment will be peremptory against the State. 

Meanwhile, Satchwell was previously denied bail at a High Court sitting at Cloverhill Court. Gardaí objected to bail saying that the accused was a flight risk. 

Refusing the application, Judge Siobhan Lankford said that Richard Satchwell faces “very serious charges, the most serious charges on the criminal canon.” 

Satchwell first appeared in court on 14 October in connection with the alleged offence. 

On that occasion evidence of arrest charge and caution was given by Detective Garda David Kelleher. Detective Garda Kelleher said that Satchwell had been formally charged with the murder of his wife in Cobh Garda Station the previous day. Legal aid was granted in the case. 

Tina Satchwell was a native of St Bernard’s Place in Fermoy, Co Cork who was living in Youghal at the time of her death. She was reported missing on 24 March 2017 by her husband Richard. 

After she was reported missing gardai followed 400 lines of inquiry, watched hundreds of hours of CCTV and took witness statements from 170 people. A major sea and land search was carried out by gardaí following her disappearance. In March 2018, gardaí led a major search for Tina in Mitchel’s Wood in Castlemartyr, Co Cork. 

In March of last year year, on the sixth anniversary of Tina’s disappearance, gardaí issued a renewed appeal for information in a bid to locate her. 

Tina Satchwell would have turned 50 in 2022. She hailed from a family of eight and is survived by her siblings. Vigils in her memory have been held in Youghal and Fermoy. A private family funeral has also taken place.