Bungendore man Brady Sheather appeared in court via audio visual link from Goulburn jail. He has been in custody since his arrest in June.

His mother, Megan Sheather, 48, is charged with being an accessory after the fact. It is alleged she was complicit in providing false information. Mrs Sheather, who is on bail, appeared in court but left in tears moments before her son appeared on the screen. Her case was adjourned to October.

Police allege there was an altercation between Brady Sheather and his father, Phillip Sheather, 56, at their Bungendore home on February 23.

The court heard there was a delay in reporting the incident. When paramedics attended, they found Phillip unconscious and provided assistance. It was reported he had fallen.

Phillip Sheather died in the Intensive Care Unit at the Canberra Hospital two days later.

Magistrate Michael Antrum said a medical expert had determined the man likely died from blunt force.

Brady Sheather's defence lawyer told the court the father had been "drinking for days" in the lead up to the incident.

She said Brady Sheather and his father were the only two people at home when the incident occurred, and the prosecution was relying on "implications and inference teased out" from conversations following the incident to determine what happened.

She said it was not a case where a conviction or jail time were certainties.

The court heard Brady Sheather's conversations were being recorded leading up to his arrest in June. While in jail, he had made calls to his sister and said things to the effect of, "I didn't punch him, I tapped him on the head and he passed out".

His defence lawyer told the court he was aware he was being recorded.

The police prosecutor said there were concerns Brady Sheather would be a flight risk, or could interfere with witnesses if he was released on bail.

In addressing concerns he was a flight risk, his defence lawyer said he was "not a person with the means, capacity or sophistication" to travel to Queensland, as he had expressed a desire to do in the past.

The court heard Brady Sheather worked as a weed sprayer and looked after his sheep and poultry. His references said he was trusted in his community.

He was described as unsophisticated, and as having borderline intellectual functioning. The court heard he had suicide ideation, and was anxious and depressed.

He is tied to his animals, and has significant ties to the community, the court heard. His maternal grandfather and aunt had offered for him to stay with them.

Mr Antrum said jail could prove to be a challenge for such a person with limited intellectual functioning.

The magistrate acknowledged some members of the community were paying for feed for the man's animals while he was in custody, and the man's employer told the court his job remained open for him to return.

Mr Antrum said it appeared the alleged incident was isolated, and the man had a limited criminal history and no history of violence.

But he said the man's psychological issues could be a double edged sword, which could contribute to an inability to comply with bail conditions and, referring to the man's propensity to contact witnesses from jail, the orderly conduct of a trial.

He said there was a strong prosecution case and while the man maintains the presumption of innocence, there was a need to protect the integrity of evidence.

No pleas were entered. Bail was refused, and the man was remanded in custody until October 8.