Sydney man charged with murder of wife had been issued domestic violence order

A husband and wife that came to Australia from India were still living together with a domestic violence notice in place before she was stabbed to death at their Sydney home.

A man accused of killing his wife was living in the couple's Sydney home at the time despite being subjected to a domestic violence order Source: AAP

This article contains references to domestic violence.

A man accused of murdering his wife by stabbing her to death was living in the couple's Sydney home at the time despite being subjected to a domestic violence order.

The 27-year-old victim was found with a knife wound at a Quakers Hill house on Wednesday evening. She died at the scene.

"(It) was so severe that she was deceased by the time the police attended," Superintendent Jennifer Scholz told reporters on Thursday.

Her husband, 31, was arrested and taken to Blacktown Hospital for treatment to lacerations on his hands before being returned to custody. He was on Thursday charged with murder and is due to face Parramatta Local Court on Friday.

The couple had moved to Australia from India two years ago.

They had spoken to officers on 24 April at nearby Quakers Hill Police Station when the woman made a complaint.

The woman was fearing for her life and an apprehended domestic violence order was issued against her husband, police said.

That matter remains before the courts.

"There was a standard order in regards to not assaulting (and) molesting," Supt Scholz said.

"There was no exclusion order in regards to the location or the home environment. They were residing together in the same bedroom."

The pair had both been issued student visas, the ABC reports.

Last month, the peak body for family violence services in New South Wales called for more to be done to support temporary migrant women and children, who are at increased risk of harm during the coronavirus pandemic.

Domestic Violence NSW spokesperson Renata Field said she hoped the Quakers Hill death would serve as a "wake up call".

“People who have experienced violence who are on temporary visas, including student violence, face different challenges in seeking help for family and domestic violence,” she told SBS News.

“The threat of deportation is often used by perpetrators to keep victims in the relationship and it is a lot harder to seek help.

“Violence is never acceptable and it is such an incredible tragedy that this happened.”

If you or someone you know is impacted by family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Additional reporting by Bethan Smoleniec.