Concerns accused Beresfield train station murderer 'unfit' to stand trial

Police at the scene of the fatal train station attack. Picture by Dustin Clark

LAWYERS for a mentally ill man accused of murdering Scott Parrott at Beresfield railway station in a random and unprovoked attack say they are now concerned he may be unfit to stand trial.

Canadian Matthew Robert Breckenridge, 29, who suffers from schizophrenia, is accused of beating Mr Parrott to death at the railway station on December 12, 2022 in an attack that was captured on CCTV.

He then jumped onto the back of a passing train in an attempt to flee.

Mr Breckenridge's matter had been delayed in the local court while defence lawyers and prosecutors obtained psychiatric reports into Mr Breckenridge's state of mind at the time of Mr Parrott's death.

And in April, Mr Breckenridge pleaded not guilty to murder with a trial in NSW Supreme Court expected to focus solely on expert psychiatric evidence into his mental state at the time of Mr Parrott's death.

However, when it came time for Mr Breckenridge to be arraigned and get a trial date in NSW Supreme Court on Friday, his solicitor, Kristy Wade, said she had recently had concerns about her clients "fitness to provide instructions".

Mr Breckenridge's matter was adjourned for a month for defence lawyers to explore the fitness issue.