A NEWCASTLE man accused of murdering 39-year-old Scott Parrot at Beresfield railway station on Monday night had a warrant out for his arrest after he failed to appear in court last week for shoplifting.
And a magistrate has said the case against 27-year-old Matthew Robert Breckenridge was "extremely strong" because the alleged attack on the platform was captured on CCTV.
Mr Breckenridge was dressed in a blue forensic jumpsuit when he appeared in Maitland Local Court on Tuesday via audio visual link from Raymond Terrace police station charged with murder.
He did not enter a plea and his solicitor, Alberto Noronha, did not apply for bail, but did oppose a prosecution detention application against Mr Breckenridge in relation to a number of minor charges, including shoplifting.
Port Stephens-Hunter police said they were called to Beresfield train station about 6pm on Monday and found Mr Parrot critically injured on the platform.
Paramedics treated the 39-year-old, but he died at the scene. Police say they arrested Mr Breckenridge a short time later and he was later charged with murder.
Court documents reveal Mr Breckenridge failed to appear in Newcastle Local Court last Thursday for two counts of shoplifting at Kotara as well as goods in custody and custody of a knife.
He was convicted in his absence and the magistrate issued a warrant for his arrest. That warrant was still active when Mr Breckenridge was arrested and charged with murder on Monday.
Magistrate Ron Maiden granted the detention application and refused bail on all matters, saying the case against Mr Breckenridge in relation to the murder charge was "extremely strong" and the attack was "depicted on video".
