Troy Jason Ruttley is being held in Wellington Correctional Centre and appeared via videolink in Tamworth Local Court on Tuesday morning, where his solicitor gained an adjournment.

Solicitor Rosslyn Mayne said two appointments had been booked in June to have Ruttley, 46, assessed by medical experts “for the purposes of us obtaining psychiatric and psychological assessment”.

She told the court this was normal in any murder case.

Ms Mayne said she had briefed counsel, who would need to meet with Ruttley in prison “with whatever we get” from the medical appointments.

“Obviously he [the public defender] needs some time to get proper instructions,” she said.

Ruttley has been in custody since December.

He was arrested in Dubbo by detectives from Strike Force Chiltern, which was set up to investigate the suspicious disappearance and alleged murder of Ms Morgan. 

The mother-of-four, who lived in Cole Rd, vanished in August 2015, and her body still hasn’t been found. 

Detectives allege Ruttley murdered Ms Morgan in West Tamworth between August 8 and August 10 last year.

Magistrate Roger Prowse told Ruttley his legal team would be unavailable at the start of July and “discussions” needed to occur, so the case would be adjourned for a committal hearing in late July.

“Bail not being applied for, it’s refused. All right?” he said. “Yes,” Ruttley replied.