Gerardine Small told the jury that Tina Satchwell was married to Richard Satchwell for approximately 25 years at the time of her disappearance.

She said they got married in the UK on her 20th birthday and moved to Ireland and they lived in Ireland and bought a house in Fermoy and lived there for a number of years before selling it and moving to Youghal in 2016.

She said during the trial the jury will hear that Tina was a very glamorous lady and loved fashion and clothes and adored her two dogs.

"She considered them her children," she said. "You will hear that Tina was a petite lady at 5'4' and approximately 8 stone in weight".

She told them they will hear evidence of Richard Satchwell calling to the garda station in Fermoy on 24 March 2017 at around 7pm, and told the garda that Tina had left the marital home on 20 March, four days earlier.

She said: "You're going to hear that he had no concerns in relation to her welfare and felt she left due to a deterioration in their relationship".

The court heard that Mr Satchwell told the garda that Tina left without her dogs, but it was his view that having a dog would have made finding accommodation more difficult.

He told the garda that he believed she was in a hotel or B&B and had to take around €20,000 from their savings.