Hamilton man to face murder charge after woman's death

The 57-year-old will reappear in court on Friday - but facing a much more serious charge.

A Hamilton man due to reappear in court after an alleged fatal assault on a woman will now face the more serious charge of murder.

The 57-year-old reappeared in the Hamilton District Court yesterday facing one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after an alleged assault at a flat in Wellington St, Hamilton East, last week.

There, emergency services found a 55-year-old woman in a critical condition.

Despite being taken to Waikato Hospital, she died of her injuries.

The man's lawyer, Richard Barnsdale, successfully applied for the man's interim name suppression, while the victim's family's request for suppression was also granted by Community Magistrate Ngaire Mascelle.

Hamilton city area commander Inspector Andrea McBeth today said when the man reappears in court on Friday he will also now face a charge of murder, and another charge of injuring with intent which relates to an incident in April this year involving the same victim.