Supreme Court: Aaron Bernath found guilty of murdering his 61-year-old father George Bernath at Maddingley home

A Maddingley man who bashed his “defenceless” father to death with a baseball bat lied to triple-0, tried to clean up and showed no remorse, a court heard.

The Stonehill Drive home in Maddingley, where 61-year-old George Bernath’s son bashed the “defenceless” dad to death with baseball bat. Picture: Supplied.

A Maddingley man who murdered his “defenceless” father by striking him on the head multiple times with a baseball bat has shown no remorse for his actions, a court has heard.

Aaron Bernath, 37, faced the Supreme Court via video link from custody on Thursday for a plea hearing, after being found guilty of murdering his 61-year-old father, George Bernath, last month.

In January 2024, Mr Bernath was found with life-threatening head injuries at his home on Stonehill Dr in Maddingley, near Bacchus Marsh — 61km northwest of Melbourne.

He was flown to the Alfred Hospital, where he later died.

Court documents revealed Mr Bernath’s son left him lying on the floor for 17 minutes before he called triple-0 — falsely claiming his father had taken “a bad fall” from the couch and was “just resting” while bleeding on the ground.

Ambulance Victoria at Maddingley on Thursday January 11, 2025. Picture: Supplied

But paramedics arrived to find the 61-year-old lying on his side with severe head wounds, surrounded by a large pool of blood and a mop and bucket filled with bloody water nearby.

Crime scene investigators later found blood through the living room and on the laundry sink as well as the rubber seal on the washing machine door.

In the washing machine they found a bloodstained cushion and cushion cover, as well as a shorts and a T-shirt on the floor believed to be Bernath’s.

The murder weapon — a blood-spotted baseball bat — was discovered in another bedroom.

Bernath had been living with his father after his painting business and relationship collapsed during the pandemic.

An Autopsy revealed the cause of Mr Bernath’s death was blunt force head injuries.

Bernath pleaded not guilty to murdering his father, saying it was self-defence to his father’s aggression.

However, a jury found him guilty of murder.

Police cordoned off the Stonehill Dr, Maddingley property. Picture: Supplied.

On Thursday, in a victim impact statement read to the court Mr Bernath’s partner Sonia said the “horror and senselessness” of the crime would haunt her forever.

“My confidence, security and safety have all gone. (We) made many plans to enjoy our golden years … but now I don’t even want to leave the comfort of my home,” she said.

“George was an amazing role model and support to my children, and they also miss him immensely and feel this loss.”

Sonia said the trauma had affected her relationship with her kids: “Seeing what happened to George has made me question who would be capable of committing a crime like this. I feel very broken”.

Justice Andrew Tinney said Bernath’s version of events was “completely unrealistic” and that the 37-year-old appeared “completely unconcerned” about killing his father — from the moment he made the call to emergency services to when he took the stand in court.

“He showed no concern at all for the welfare of his father … he made some fairly inadequate attempts to clean up the crime scene,” he said.

Justice Tinney said Bernath struck “a defenceless man” in the head several times and he “fabricated” the “preposterous” story about defending himself.

Justice Tinney said the attack was “an assault on an older, smaller, unarmed man” by a younger and stronger person wielding a baseball bat.

The matter will return to court on Friday for the continuation of the plea.

Bernath faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.