A man has faced court days after the body of Emma Bates was found at a home in northern Victoria, as police allege he committed a “serious assault”.
Police discovered the 49-year-old woman’s remains on the floor of her Campbell Rd home in the afternoon of April 23 after emergency services were called to the property in Cobram, near the NSW border.
Cobram local John Torney, 39, was arrested the same day and questioned over an incident that occurred prior to Ms Bates’ death.
Police on Wednesday announced that he would be charged with offences including intentionally cause injury and aggravated assault.
Investigators allege the two were “known to each other” and say a further investigation into the exact circumstances of Ms Bates’ death remains ongoing.
Mr Torney was led into the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court shortly before 10am on Friday wearing a khaki jumper.
Prosecutors said the case was expected to proceed as a “straight remand”, with Mr Torney remaining in custody until his next court date.
After asking for a “nutshell” explanation of the allegations, magistrate Peter Dunn was told that Victoria Police allege “at this stage” that Mr Torney caused injury during a serious assault.
According to documents released by the court, Mr Torney is charged with 13 offences, including multiple counts of unlawful assault alleged to have occurred between April 20 and 23.
His lawyer, Kyle McLaughlin, informed the court that his client had additional unrelated matters before the court next scheduled for June.
He asked the court to note that his client was “withdrawing from a drug of dependence”.
Mr Torney was remanded into custody ahead of his next appearance in May.