The Star: May 19, 2022

Thursday May 19 2022 The Star
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
NEWS 5
‘funny, kind and quiet’ says sister
Berry started his education at
Tawhero School before moving
through George’s Intermediate
and Whanganui Collegiate.
When he left school he got a
job at a bank – which was no
surprise to his family.
“Numbers were his thing, so it
made sense for him to go into the
bank and work there,” Statham
told the court during the trial.
“He enjoyed that because I
think he enjoyed belonging to
something and being part of
something and being able to use
his talents.”
Berry seemed to come out of
his shell a bit, joining an indoor
netball team and playing soccer
and cricket with colleagues.
He also joined the company
social club and started getting
out more.
“He made friends,” Statham
recalled fondly.
“He did have a group of friends
that saw him through a lot of
hard times later on.”
Those hard times came when
Berry started to drink.
In the beginning, it wasn’t an
issue, but over time it was clear
he had a problem.
“When he started drinking I
think it was because, at times, he
was a little bit socially awkward,”
his sister said.
“And (alcohol) probably gave
him confidence. He hadn’t really
grown up with many friendships
so the drinking probably gave
him that little bit of courage to be
more social.
“But he eventually lost his job
due to drinking – I don’t know
the exact details but I imagine he
was probably late and just found
it hard to maintain a job.”
Berry’s drinking would take
over his entire life.
“He was drinking quite a bit,
Mum and Dad wanted to help
him but he needed to be the
one to decide to change things,”
Statham said.
“I don’t know what triggered it
BURIED: Martin Berry (left) and police arriving at the scene of his murder.
PHOTO: ANNA LEASK/NZ HERALD
but he came around to Mum and
said ‘I really need help’.
“He had found a place or
been advised of a place in
Christchurch. In some ways, he
needed a break from his group
of friends in Whanganui . . . so
quite courageously he got on a
plane.”
Berry admitted himself to The
Deanery, an alcohol rehabilitation
centre in the central city.
His family said it “really did
help him” and Berry was able to
regain control of his life.
Eventually, he left the facility
and went flatting in Christchurch.
After the death of his
father, his mother Shirley decided
to sell her property in Whanganui
and move south to be near
him.
She purchased a house on
Main North Rd in Papanui and
Berry moved in with her.
“They lived together, helped
each other out, shared the costs,”
said Statham.
“It was company for them both,
they could both really relate to
each other.
“He loved it because (the house)
had a garden; it wasn’t all set up
but he could see the potential of
what he could create.”
After a while, Berry was back
on his feet and he wanted a bit
more independence.
Statham and her husband had
moved to Leeston and Shirley
went to live with them.
Berry would bus out to see his
family regularly and they in turn
visited him in Papanui.
They would go to lunch and
then he would take them back to
the house to show off his latest
garden projects and upgrades.
“He was very proud of it,”
Statham remembered.
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