Youghal holds its breath

Michael Olney and Marguerite Kiely

A major breakthrough in a case surrounding the disappearance of a woman from her home in Youghal in 2017 may bring comfort to her family, a local councillor has said.

The home of Tina Satchwell on Grattan Street in Youghal is currently sealed off after gardaí upgraded the investigation to murder on Tuesday.

It is understood that equipment used for heavy digging and vegetation removal is being used to aid the search of the premises.

The Garda Technical Bureau, along with local gardaí remain at the scene, and the search is expected to extend over several days.

Gardaí confirmed that a man in his 50s who had been arrested on suspicion of Ms Satchwell’s murder on Tuesday was released without charge yesterday.

Local Cork County Councillor Liam Quaide said he hopes some comfort might come as a result of Tuesday’s breakthrough.

"It will be some comfort to Tina's family, friends and the community in Youghal that there appears to finally be a breakthrough with garda investigations into her disappearance,” he said. “I'd appeal to anyone with further information to contact Midleton Garda Station,” added the councillor.

Gardaí say that a family liaison officer has been appointed to the family of the missing woman and continue to urge any person who may know anything relevant to the investigation to come forward.

Tina, originally from St Bernard's Place in Fermoy, was last seen in public at a car boot sale in Carrigtwohill on 19 March 2017, alongside her husband of 25 years, Richard. She was 45 at the time of her disappearance.

He was the last person to have seen her on 20 March 2017 when she reportedly asked him to go to an Aldi store in Dungarvan. Upon his return, Tina was gone.

Richard reported her missing four days later, on 24 March 2017, saying that “she obviously felt she needed a break, to get her thoughts together, to get her head straight".

He mentioned that he believed that she may have taken €26,000 in cash, proceeds from a house sale. Later, he suggested the possibility that she might have relocated to live with family in the United Kingdom.

However, gardaí have said that there is no record or CCTV footage of Tina passing through any Irish or UK port or airport and believe that she did not leave Ireland. Her phone has not been used, and her bank account has remained untouched since her disappearance.

In March 2018, gardaí conducted a search in Mitchel's Wood near Castlemartyr. Despite an extensive search, they found no trace of the missing woman. Additional searches were carried out in scrubland and off the quays in Youghal, but no new discoveries were made.

Those with information relevant to the investigation are encouraged to get in touch with Midleton Garda Station on 021-4621550, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111 or any garda station.