Richard Satchwell will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of murdering his wife, Tina Dingivan, over eight years ago in their Cork home.
Her body was hidden in a chest freezer—offered to her unsuspecting niece just days later—while Satchwell spun cruel lies for years, insisting Tina was missing but alive. Her remains were discovered more than six years after she vanished in 2017.
Tina’s family, devastated and betrayed, delivered emotional victim impact statements. Her niece, Sarah Howard, described Satchwell as a “monster” who robbed them of Tina’s love, dignity, and memory. Her sister Lorraine recounted Tina’s gentle spirit, love for animals, and how her passion for fashion was twisted in court.
Satchwell’s history of deceit runs deep, with 14 previous convictions for fraud and theft, and during the trial, he continued to manipulate the narrative. But the jury saw through the lies.
Judge Paul McDermott imposed a mandatory life sentence, condemning Satchwell to live out his days in prison. Lead investigator Superintendent Anne Marie Twomey thanked the community and expressed hope that justice would finally bring Tina’s family a fragment of peace after enduring unimaginable pain and betrayal. Justice has caught up with a man who thrived on control and cruelty.