Murder accused Richard Satchwell said he cut the dressing gown belt he had held to his dead wife’s throat so he could put her arm around him minutes after an incident at their home, a court has heard.
Satchwell told detectives investigating the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, that he wanted her arms around him, that he was numb and felt sick at what he had done.
He also told Detective Sergeant David Noonan that he would be going to prison and would “plead guilty”, saying he was holding “nothing back” from investigators.
The jury at Satchwell’s trial at the Central Criminal Court has been watching a police interview carried out after his wife’s remains were found under the stairs in the living room of their Co Cork home.
Satchwell was arrested for the murder of his wife in October 2023, after her body was found in a shallow clandestine grave, six years after he reported her missing.
Satchwell, 58, of Grattan Street in Youghal, is accused of murdering his wife between March 19-20, 2017.
He denies the charge.
He told Detective Noonan at Cobh Garda Station on the night of October 12, 2023, that the “longer bit” of the dressing gown belt was at the front of his wife’s robe.
He said that she usually bought a dressing gown that was a size up from her normal size and would swap that belt for an even larger size.
He said that he had used the belt to “fend” her off after he claimed she “flew” at him with a chisel on the morning of March 20, 2017.
Satchwell attempted to describe how he held the belt to her throat and how she went limp and fell into his arms.
The court heard claims that his wife’s arm was trapped under the belt and that he had to use nail scissors to cut through the material to free her arm.
He then held her dead body in his arms.
He said he had felt “sick” at what he had done and had buried her in phases.
When probed further about the details of how his wife died, Satchwell said it happened in “a flash”, and that his brain had no time to comprehend it.
Asked what he believed caused his wife’s death, he said that he was not sure but thought it was the belt blocking her air ways.
He claimed it happened in a matter of seconds.
However, Detective Noonan said it was not something that could happen in a couple of seconds, and told Satchwell that had been so “forthcoming and honest” throughout the interview.
“It seemed like forever, but also not forever if that makes sense,” Satchwell said.
He said he would not lie to the detective, adding that he was full of fear that morning.
“Did she come downstairs with the intention of attacking me or was it because I startled her? I don’t know,” he added.
He repeatedly told the detective that he was being honest about his account of what happened.
He said he did not brush her hair before he buried her, he did not try and manipulate her body or make it look like her body had been “groomed”.
“I put her in the way she was. I didn’t try and cover anything up. I didn’t do anything to the body to try and make it look like it was something it wasn’t,” he said.
Detective Noonan put it to Satchwell: “In your opinion, did the belt and how you were holding it cause her death?”
Satchwell replied: “I honestly can’t say for certain but to me, yeah. As to 100% on details, I can’t give that to you.”
He said he was not looking for sympathy and was “putting my hands up” to the crime.
“I am sick of living behind a mask,” he added.
When pressed for more details by Detective Noonan, who told Satchwell that his story did not make sense, Satchwell said he was “going to prison regardless” and there was “no point” in holding anything back.
He told the detective he would “plead guilty” and there would be no jury.
“I want to make that clear now. I am not trying to hold anything back from you.
“I have nothing to gain from twisting it. I have nothing to gain from what comes out, and I have nothing to lose.”
The trial continues.
