Overview
- A Supreme Court jury in Melbourne found Maskell guilty of manslaughter over the 2021 assault that led to 73-year-old John Burke’s death at a Strathmerton service station.
- At a plea hearing, Burke’s sister described profound ongoing trauma as prosecutors argued Maskell’s conduct was thuggish and serious, while the defense cited lengthy delays and family hardship.
- CCTV shown to jurors captured Maskell throwing a one‑litre sports drink bottle at Burke and then kicking him as he lay on the floor.
- Medical witnesses linked the assault to a subdural brain bleed, detailing Burke’s severe incapacity in hospital before he died about two months later.
- Maskell’s 2023 guilty verdict and eight‑year sentence were quashed by the Court of Appeal for highly prejudicial evidence, and Justice James Elliott will deliver a new sentence at a later date.