‘Extreme level of violence’ in alleged supermarket assault, court hears

By Monique Preston

May 24, 2023

In court: The man accused of a supermarket assault that has left another man fighting for his life has faced court for the first time. Photo by supplied

The man accused of an assault in a supermarket that has left a Mooroopna man fighting for his life in hospital will remain in custody until at least the end of next week.

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Matthew Atkinson, 19, applied for bail in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, May 24, two days after a fight with another man in Woolworths in Mooroopna.

He is charged with intentionally causing a serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, intentionally causing a serious injury, recklessly causing a serious injury, assault, and assault by kicking.

He also also been charged with possessing and trafficking cannabis and dealing with property suspected being proceeds of crime.

Shepparton Criminal Investigation Unit Senior Constable Sarah Roberts told the court the victim – a 47-year-old Mooroopna man – had been doing his shopping at the McLennan St supermarket when he was approached by Mr Atkinson about 7.15pm on Monday, May 22.

The court was told Mr Atkinson was yelling about an affair he believed the man to be in with an underage girl he knew.

Sen Constable Roberts said Mr Atkinson punched the victim to the head and body once, before he fell to the ground.

It is alleged Mr Atkinson then stomped on the man’s head twice, rendering him unconscious, before he fled the store.

The man was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition, and Sen Constable Roberts said he had a “catastrophic” bleed on the brain.

He remains in a critical condition and Sen Constable Roberts told the court “at this stage the victim may die”.

The officer opposed bail, saying she was concerned over the “extreme level of violence” displayed in an “unprovoked attack in a populated place”.

She also told the court police found dried cannabis at Mr Atkinson’s house when they searched it, and when he was arrested at another address on Tuesday, May 23, he had $510 cash and seven ziplock bags containing cannabis on him.

Mr Atkinson’s solicitor Ian Michaelson told the court his client was aggrieved over a relationship the man was having.

He also argued that his client was young, had not been in adult custody before, and was an Indigenous man.

The bail application was adjourned to late next week after Mr Michaelson said he wanted Mr Atkinson to be assessed for supervised bail by Youth Justice, as well as having an assessment for Court Integrated Services bail.