Man charged with murder over bashing death of Central Coast woman

A man has been charged with murder following the bashing death of a woman in the backyard of her NSW Central Coast home.

Sandra Deacon’s body was found by police outside her Budgewoi home about midnight.

She had been beaten so badly, police said she was almost unrecognisable.

They arrested 55-year-old Garry Weigand a short time later, after finding him outside another house.

He has been charged with her murder and was formally refused bail after briefly appearing in Wyong Local Court today.

He is now expected to undergo a mental health assessment.

Mr Weigand had shared a house with Ms Deacon for the past five weeks.

She was intellectually handicapped and neighbors have described her as a lovely woman.

Police are still trying to determine exactly what happened with forensic crews still working at the scene.