Troy Maskell: Dad pleads not guilty to manslaughter at Strathmerton service station

A Shepparton man is accused of throwing an energy drink at an elderly man at a country Victorian service station which later resulted in his death.

A Shepparton man is accused of throwing an energy drink at an elderly man at a country Victoria service station. Picture: Getty Images

A Shepparton man is accused of throwing an energy drink at an elderly man at a country Victoria service station which later caused his death, a court has heard.

Troy Maskell, 42, faced Shepparton Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he earlier pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

The court heard Maskell allegedly assaulted a 73-year-old at a Strathmerton service station, 55km north of Shepparton.

It is alleged a fight broke out between Maskell, his then partner and the victim because the elderly man had looked at the woman.

The court heard Maskell asked the man, who later died, if he had a problem before throwing a Maximum bottle at him.

He was allegedly hunched over when the accused kicked him and he fell, stomping on the deceased’s glasses.

The court heard the bottle injury had caused a laceration and traumatic subdural haematoma.

Months later he died in hospital from the injuries he had sustained.

Maskell’s defence lawyer, Julia Munster, asked to cross-examine witnesses she claimed “needed to be explored”.

Prosecutor Sharon Kermath objected, saying there was CCTV available.

The court heard the father of four had no contact with his children aside from his youngest daughter, and was “largely unemployed,” having resided in a caravan travelling Australia.

Maskell will return to court later this year with the hearing expected to take up to two days.

Six out of seven witnesses will be called, including the paramedics, two doctors and two witnesses and the service station attendant.