Police lay charges over woman’s death at Bankstown

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman at a home in Sydney’s south-west.

About 7pm yesterday (Sunday 1 October 2023), emergency services were called to a home on Wattle Street, Bankstown, after reports of a small fire at the property.

Fire and Rescue NSW attended and extinguished the blaze at the rear of the home before finding a woman suffering significant head injuries inside.

Officers from Bankstown Police Area Command arrived at the home and were allegedly confronted by a man, armed with a knife. Officers deployed a taser and the 31-year-old man was arrested.

The 67-year-old woman was assessed by paramedics before being declared deceased. She is yet to be formally identified.

A crime scene was established, and detectives have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident under Strike Force Panhandle.

The man – known to the woman – was taken to Bankstown Police Station, before being transferred to hospital for assessment.

He was returned to Bankstown Police Station, where he was charged with murder (DV), torture, beat and cause death of animal, damage destroy property by fire, breach of bail, and contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (domestic).

Police will allege in court that the man stabbed the woman before killing her cat and setting fire to the property.

The man was refused bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court tomorrow (Tuesday 3 October 2023).

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