A police constable has been charged with murdering his wife at their home less than a year after they married.

Otis Goldsmith, 49, is being held in custody and was due to appear at Corby Magistrates’ Court this morning.

The officer has served with Northamptonshire Police for more than 28 years and colleagues said they were “shocked and upset” by his arrest.

His wife, 49-year-old Jill Goldsmith, was found dead on Thursday at their home in Wootton Hall Park, Northampton.

Otis Goldsmith and his wife, Jill, who died on 26 March (Facebook)

The house is close to the police force’s headquarters and used to be officers' housing before it became privately owned.

A post mortem examination carried out yesterday at Leicester Royal Infirmary found the cause of death to be a head injury.

Mrs Goldsmith’s parents told the Northampton Chronicle that the couple married in May last year, saying it was a “very difficult time” for the family.

Pc Goldsmith has reportedly been previously married a number of times and Mrs Goldsmith was a widow.

Jill Goldsmith, 49, died on 26 March. Her husband Otis has been charged with murder (Facebook)

He was off-duty at the time of his arrest at around 1pm on Thursday.

Superintendent Chris Hillery said: “What has happened has understandably shocked and upset many people within the local community and again, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to all those affected.”

The investigation is being run through the East Midlands Special Operations Unit but Northamptonshire Police stressed that none of its own staff will be involved.

The force has referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission because it involved a serving officer and a death.