Neil Douglas Morris was charged by investigators from Strike Force Cumbora in connection to the death of a 75-year-old woman from Nundle in July.

Morris is not charged with causing injuries to the woman but failing to provide the necessities of life.

His case was briefly mentioned for the first time in Tamworth Local Court this week after he was charged by strike force detectives late in 2017.

He is yet to enter a plea and police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Baillie told the court the case had been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to consider.

If the DPP takes over the prosecution of the case, it could see it head to trial or sentence in the district court.

If convicted of the charge, Morris faces a maximum of five years imprisonment.

Magistrate Mark Richardson ordered police to compile a brief of evidence and serve it on Morris’ solicitor, Kevin Carr, by early February.

The case was adjourned to late-February for the DPP to determine who will prosecute the case.

Strike Force Cumbora was launched by Oxley detectives to investigate the 75-year-old woman’s death in July.

The woman died three days after she was rushed to Tamworth hospital from her Nundle home with serious injuries.

At the time, police said a community nurse had attended the house and called for urgent assistance on July 13 before the woman was rushed to hospital by ambulance.

She was placed into a specialist ward but died from her injuries three days later.

Police have not detailed the nature of the woman’s injuries, only confirming the wounds were “serious”.

Following several months of investigations and an autopsy, detectives charged Morris with failing to provide the necessities of life.

Police will allege in court Morris was known to the woman.