37-year-old man refused bail, charged with murder of woman in NSW Hunter

A man charged over an alleged domestic violence murder, in the NSW Hunter region, has been refused bail at a court hearing this morning

Transcript

00:00Emergency services were called to a home in Kersley in the Hunter Valley on Friday night

00:07and found the body of a 39-year-old woman with a gunshot wound.

00:13Now tragically, police said that it was a child who had raised the alarm

00:17after flagging down passing motorists.

00:20The child had walked some 300 to 400 metres to try and get help from neighbours

00:26and some motorists who were passing by saw the child and stopped to offer support.

00:34Now police say the crime scene at the home was both horrific and traumatic

00:39and they put out a public appeal for 37-year-old Christopher James McLockney.

00:48Now after a tip-off from the public, he was arrested about 24 hours later on Saturday night

00:55in a car park of a sports club in nearby Bellbird

01:00and police allegedly found a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition in the 37-year-old's car.

01:07Now he was taken in for questioning at Cessnock Police Station

01:11and he was charged with several offences including murder

01:16and possessing an unauthorised firearm and ammunition

01:20which he didn't have a permit or a licence to own

01:25and also with drug possession including both cannabis and heroin.

01:30Police say that they are treating this as a domestic violence-related homicide.

01:37Now 37-year-old Christopher James McLockney did not appear in court himself today

01:43but his lawyer, Osman Semin, appeared on his behalf

01:48and he said that his client would not be applying for bail

01:52and therefore bail was formally refused by the court.

01:55He also asked for the matter to be adjourned until January

01:58and he said that his client, he asked the court if he, the court,

02:05the corrective services system could make sure that there were welfare checks done on him

02:10while he was in custody, while he was in jail

02:13because he had what he described as some significant mental health conditions

02:18and the court did grant that.

02:21Now his lawyer also spoke briefly outside the court to reporters.

02:26Understandably everyone involved is distraught

02:28and there will be welfare checks done appropriately.

02:34So the 37-year-old will remain behind bars

02:38until he next appears in court on January 21 in Newcastle Court.