A Bungendore man will fight allegations he is responsible for his father's death after he purportedly "tapped" the "aggressive" man on the head while his father was on an alcohol binge.
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Brady Phillip Sheather fronted Queanbeyan Local Court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. He told Magistrate Roger Clisdell from the courtroom gallery he was "fully aware" of the implications of the plea.
Mr Clisdell committed Mr Sheather to trial.
Mr Sheather was granted bail in October last year, on conditions including that he live with a nominated family member and report daily to Queanbeyan police.
Police allege the accused and his 56-year-old father, Phillip Sheather, were at home alone in Bungendore on February 23, 2019, when Brady Sheather struck his father.
The man allegedly fell and hit his head. The court previously heard when Megan Sheather arrived home and later called emergency services, she said her husband had fallen over after "my son and him were being stupid".
Phillip Sheather died in the Intensive Care Unit at the Canberra Hospital two days later. The court previously heard a medical expert determined he likely died from blunt force.
Mr Clisdell on Tuesday said prosecutors had withdrawn a charge against Brady Sheather's mother and the dead man's widow, Megan Sheather, of being an accessory to manslaughter after the fact.
The court previously heard Brady Sheather had said he "tapped" his father on the head before the man "passed out" during a phone conversation from jail.
Defence barrister Tony Evers previously told the NSW Supreme Court Mr Sheather's father was "an aggressive, difficult man when drinking" and said he drank 36 bottles of beer in the 24 hours leading up to his death.
Brady Sheather's matter is next due for mention in Queanbeyan Local Court on May 6. Mr Clisdell on Tuesday excused him from attending court on that occasion.