Charlie Berry assaults housemates after drug-fuelled night out ends in violence at Mildura share house

A boozed up Mildura Maccas’ worker threatened and assaulted his housemates after they refused to let him back into their shared home, a court has heard.

Mildura man Charlie Berry leaves court after receiving a 15 month community corrections order after he assaulted his housemates. Picture: Stuart Kavanagh

A drunken Mildura Maccas’ worker beat up his two female housemates after they wouldn’t let him back into the house after he had scored some drugs, a court has heard.

Charlie Berry, 22, fronted Mildura Magistrates’ Court in a black T-shirt and ripped shorts on multiple charges after a boozy night out.

In late December last year, Berry was at the Corporate Moose with his friends when he was confronted part way through a drug deal by his housemates.

A heated argument broke out, and the group went their separate ways before crossing paths again in the IGA car park nearby.

When the two victims returned to the share house, Berry demanded to be let inside the house and said he would “beat the f--- out of them,” if they didn’t let him in.

Berry and his housemates fell out after Berry was spotted buying drugs at a nightclub Picture: iStock

During his attempts to get inside, Berry punched one of the victims in the leg in an attempt to trip them up. He managed to force himself halfway through the door before he punched another housemate in the mouth and the stomach.

When police arrived, Berry was pacing up and down the front yard of the property with a beer bottle in his hand. He resisted arrest and had to be capsicum sprayed.

When he was interviewed by police, he told them he went to buy some drugs off somebody and one of his housemates started yelling at him.

Berry also made admissions during the interview about the assault, saying he gave one of the victims a “quick little uppercut to the ribs,” before punching them in the face “to get her to back off”.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan said despite Berry’s cocktail of drugs, alcohol and prescription medication, it was no excuse for his behaviour.

Berry’s lawyer Hugh Middleton told the court of his clients’ struggles with depression and anxiety and mentioned Berry had already got some feedback from the community once his offending was made public.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan said he wasn’t surprised, noting Berry was “not a small man, and he has allegedly assaulted two females”.

Mr Coghlan described the mix of prescribed and illicit drugs with alcohol as impairing Berry’s judgment, but said it did not excuse the violence.

“There’s no excuse for treating women in the way you did on this occasion,” Mr Coghlan said.

Berry was given a 15 month community corrections order and fined $500 for resisting arrest.