Harold Barclay has been accused of murdering his 83 year old wife in their Alexandra Heights home.
Nancy Barclay was found dead by her sons in their Perth home on Wednesday. The police were contacted immediately, and arrived at the house at 9:20am.
No details have been released as to how Nancy died.
Harold was then arrested and questioned overnight by the homicide squad, and this morning was charged with Nancy’s murder.
Nancy reportedly has advanced dementia, and Harold is in the advanced stages of cancer. Harold had recently started to refuse treatment.
Since both Mr and Mrs Barclay were in ill health, there are suspicions that this may have been a mercy killing.
The couple had lived together at their Brompton Place home since 1989.
Harold was due to appear in Joondalup Magistrates Court on today, however, had to have bedside court hearing from hospital due to health reasons.
The case was dealt with via a phone link to Royal Perth Hospital, where police said he had been taken for his welfare.
Police said his admission to hospital was “not as a result of the incident or his arrest”.
Magistrate Michelle Pontifex told Harold, who has hearing difficulties and wears hearing aids, that she did not have the power to consider bail for him, but he was entitled to make an application before a Supreme Court judge.
Harold will remain in custody during his stay in the hospital, and will face Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court next Wednesday.
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What options did the poor man have. If it is found that this was a mercy killing, I think he is a very brave caring man.
I’m so very for this man and his family. If he has assisted his wife to end her suffering then he shouldn’t be charged. Release him back to family as he’s suffering enough, both mentally and physically.
This is a very very sad affair and I have much sympathy for Mr Barclay and his family. After liftime of caring and love for each other the outlook must have been bleak for him worrying what would happen to the love of his life fter he was gone, a very painfull decision t make.