NSW Man Refused Bail Over Domestic Violence Murder Charge 2026

Key Points

• Barry Thomas Cooksley who is 72 years old faces domestic violence-related murder charges because his wife Christine Cooksley died at their home in Congarinni which lies on the NSW Mid North Coast.
• Emergency services received a call about an assault which occurred at Corella Close property during 11am on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
• Police officers from Mid North Coast Police District discovered the deceased woman inside her residence.
• The man faced arrest at the location because he reportedly carried a knife during his police encounter which resulted in knife evidence collection for forensic analysis.
• According to 7NEWS reporter Demi Huang NSW Police Acting Superintendent Matt Hinton explained that Barry Cooksley had multiple neck and wrist injuries which appeared to result from his own actions.
• The police took him to Coffs Harbour Hospital where he received surgery on Thursday afternoon before authorities charged him on Friday, 6 November 2026.
• The police officers charged him with obstructing their work which they considered as performing their official duties.
• The court refused to grant bail during the Friday afternoon hearing which took place at the hospital bedside.
• The person must attend Kempsey Local Court for their scheduled hearing which takes place on Wednesday, 20 January 2027.
• The police revealed that the two individuals maintained a domestic relationship which extended for many years while they shared a residence at the location.
• Acting Superintendent Hinton stated that police had not received any domestic violence reports about this couple before and the man did not have any domestic violence records but he did have previous traffic offenses.
• Police officials confirmed that no additional people were present at the location when the incident occurred.

Wales (Wales Times) November 06, 2026 — An elderly man has been charged with the domestic violence-related murder of his long-term partner after the 76-year-old woman was found dead inside their rural home on the NSW Mid North Coast. The man was arrested at the property, treated in hospital under police guard and refused bail during a bedside court hearing.

What Happened at the Congarinni Property?

Emergency services were called to a house on Corella Close in Congarinni, about 25 kilometres south-west of Nambucca Heads, at about 11am on Thursday, 5 November 2026, after reports of an assault. Officers attached to the Mid North Coast Police District attended and located the body of a 76-year-old woman inside the home.

According to NSW Police information published by Mirage News, officers found a 72-year-old man at the scene and seized a knife for forensic examination. The woman was assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics but died at the scene.

As reported by Demi Huang of 7NEWS, Barry Thomas Cooksley allegedly called police and paramedics to the Corella Close home at about 11.30am. Officers arrived to find his partner, Christine Cooksley, dead and Barry Cooksley armed with a knife.

Who Has Been Charged?

NSW Police charged Barry Thomas Cooksley, 72, on Friday, 6 November 2026, with domestic violence-related murder and hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty. The charges were laid after he was taken to Coffs Harbour Hospital under police guard.

The man appeared in a bedside court hearing on Friday afternoon, where he was refused bail. He is scheduled to appear before Kempsey Local Court on Wednesday, 20 January 2027.

As reported by 7NEWS, the accused had suffered multiple injuries to his neck and wrists, which police believed were self-inflicted. He allegedly confronted officers, leading to a struggle before his arrest, and underwent surgery on Thursday afternoon.

What Have Police Said About the Relationship?

NSW Police Acting Superintendent Matt Hinton said the couple had been in a long-term domestic relationship and were living together at the property. Police said there had been no previous domestic violence reports involving the couple.

As reported by 7NEWS, Acting Superintendent Hinton said Barry Cooksley was not known to police for domestic violence matters, although he had a history of traffic-related matters. Hinton also said Cooksley had no known history of mental health issues.

Hinton described the incident as “tragic”. He said, “This will have a lasting impact on the local community and our thoughts are with the woman’s family and friends.”

What Evidence Have Police Seized?

Police seized a knife at the scene for forensic examination. A crime scene was established at the Corella Close property while detectives investigated the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

As reported by Nine News, police confronted the knife-wielding man and arrested him after a struggle. The outlet reported that the woman, who had not yet been formally identified at that stage, died at the scene.

No one else was home at the time of the incident, according to police information reported by 7NEWS.

How Have News Outlets Reported the Case?

Initial reports on Thursday said a woman in her 70s had died after an alleged assault at a Mid North Coast home and that a 72-year-old man had been arrested. NBN News reported that emergency services responded to the incident on the morning of 5 November.

The Sydney Morning Herald and WA Today reported that police were treating the death as a domestic violence murder and that the man had allegedly attempted suicide after the woman’s death. At that stage, the man had not been charged.

North Coast Times reported that the man allegedly confronted police with a knife and remained under guard in hospital after his long-term partner was found dead. The outlet described Congarinni as a rural farming community of about 365 people, west of Macksville and about 25 kilometres south-west of Nambucca Heads.

The charges and bail refusal were later confirmed in police information published by Mirage News and in reporting by 7NEWS, which named the accused and the deceased.

What Happens Next in the Case?

Barry Cooksley is due to appear before Kempsey Local Court on 20 January 2027. The murder charge is domestic violence-related, and he also faces a charge of hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.

The allegations have not been tested in court. The accused is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty according to law.

Background of the Development

Congarinni is a small rural community on the NSW Mid North Coast, located west of Macksville and roughly 25 kilometres south-west of Nambucca Heads. The incident occurred at a property on Corella Close, where police established a crime scene after the woman’s body was found.

The case developed over two days: emergency services and police responded on Thursday, 5 November; the man was arrested and hospitalised that day; and formal charges were laid on Friday, 6 November, following his treatment at Coffs Harbour Hospital.

Police have said the couple lived together and had been in a long-term relationship. They also stated that there were no earlier domestic violence reports involving the pair, while noting the accused’s separate history of traffic-related matters.

How Could This Development Affect the Local Community?

For residents of Congarinni and nearby Mid North Coast communities, the case is likely to renew attention to domestic and family violence reporting, especially in rural areas where emergency response times, privacy and access to support services can present practical challenges. Acting Superintendent Hinton said the incident would have a lasting impact on the local community.

For families and neighbours, the immediate effect may be increased concern about safety and a greater willingness to contact police or support services when they observe concerning behaviour. The case also highlights the role of frontline police, paramedics and hospital staff when an alleged offender is injured and requires treatment under guard before facing court.

For readers following the court process, the next significant development is expected at Kempsey Local Court on 20 January 2027, when the accused is due to appear. Until then, police investigations, forensic examination of the seized knife and the preparation of evidence are likely to shape the case.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, support is available in Australia through 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. Lifeline can be contacted on 13 11 14.