Supermarket manslaughter accused enters plea in Supreme Court

By Monique Preston

Nov 14, 2023

In court: Matthew Atkinson appeared in the Melbourne Supreme Court charged with the manslaughter of a man after an incident at a Mooroopna supermarket earlier this year. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

The man accused of the death of another man after an assault in a Mooroopna Supermarket earlier this year has entered a plea in the Supreme Court.

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Matthew Atkinson, 20, of Shepparton, appeared in a post-committal directions hearing in the Melbourne Supreme Court, where he was officially arraigned on two charges and dates were set for his next court appearance.

He pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mooroopna man Bjorn Delphine, who was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after an assault by Atkinson at Woolworths in Mooroopna on May 22.

Mr Delphine died in hospital on June 5.

Atkinson also pleaded guilty to one charge of trafficking cannabis.

He had already pleaded guilty to the two charges in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court last month as he was arraigned to the Supreme Court, but he had to officially enter his pleas in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 14.

Atkinson’s short appearance in the Supreme Court saw his defence counsel tell the court she needed extra time before the plea had been heard because there was a long delay in being able to get him assessed by medical professionals.

She has ordered psychological, psychiatric and neuropsychological assessments to be done on her client, and reports tendered to the court.

Judicial Registrar Tim Freeman fixed a date for Atkinson’s plea hearing in the Shepparton Supreme Court in May next year.

Atkinson will continue to be remanded in custody until then.