Man charged over bashing Christchurch woman

Michelle Mary Lawrence. Photo / Supplied

Police have charged a man with murder following the weekend death of a Christchurch woman bashed with a garden ornament.

Timothy Joseph Foley, 52, was charged with the murder of Michelle Lawrence 41 this afternoon.

He had previously been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm over an assault on Ms Lawrence at her Linwood home early on June 10.

Ms Lawrence died on Saturday night in Christchurch Hospital.

She had been in the hospital's intensive care unit since she was attacked with what was believed to be a garden gnome.

Detective Senior Sergeant Corrie Parnell said preliminary results of a post-mortem examination carried out today indicated Ms Lawrence, 41, died as a result of complications arising from blunt-force head injuries.

Foley is due to appear in Christchurch District Court tomorrow morning.

Mr Parnell said 10 detectives continued to work on the investigation, the focus of which was establishing Foley's movements and the forensic examination of a number of items from the scene.