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The mother of a fatal one-punch attack victim has wept and told her son's killer she "will never understand your reasons for taking my son's life" during a court hearing today. Maryborough man Joshua Trevor Berrigan, 25, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for unlawful striking causing death over a 2023 incident in Maryborough, three hours' drive north of Brisbane. The Supreme Court in Maryborough today heard Berrigan and the victim, 43-year-old Tinana man Nathan McPherson, had been drinking separately at the Old Sydney Hotel in Maryborough on August 18, 2023. The two men were not known to each other before that evening, the court heard. CCTV footage played in court showed Mr McPherson lying on a bench near an intersection one block away from the pub around 2:30am. The footage showed Berrigan walking past the bench with two friends and exchanging words with Mr McPherson. Mr McPherson's autopsy showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.218 and Berrigan's barrister, Andrew Bale, told the court Berrigan had admitted to being "very drunk" at the time. Mr McPherson could be seen approaching Berrigan, who was walking away from him, before the two men faced each other in the middle of the intersection. Crown prosecutor Chris Cook told the court witnesses heard Berrigan say "f**k you, c***" before he punched Mr McPherson in the head. The CCTV footage showed Mr McPherson falling back and then lying motionless on the road after he was punched. Mr McPherson's mother, Veronica McAskill, gasped and wept in the public gallery as the footage was played in court. Mr McPherson's post-mortem found he died from multiple skull fractures, the court heard. After punching Mr McPherson, Berrigan picked up his sunglasses from the road and walked away without checking on him, the court heard. The court heard Berrigan was on bail for a charge of grievous bodily harm at the time of the offence for which he was later convicted and sentenced to 2.5 years' jail. 'Stuck in a cycle of grief and fury' Berrigan sat in the dock with eyes downcast while the court heard four victim impact statements from Mr McPherson's family. Ms McAskill told the court her son was "a beautiful boy" and she treasured the time she spent with him and his six children. "If only I had spent more time with them, precious time that is precious memories now," she said. "Part of me went with you that day when you left. I miss you with every fibre of my being." Statements from Mr McPherson's wife, Carina, and 15-year-old son Riley were read to the court. Carina McPherson said she had "turned to alcohol to drown out reality" following her husband's death. "I struggle every day to find peace. I feel stuck in a cycle of grief and fury," she said. Riley McPherson said the sudden loss of his father "has left a hole in my heart that will never be filled". "Every day is like being stabbed in the gut," he said. "This was an out-of-the-blue strike that left my dad lying … on that cold road." 'Never forgive myself' In a letter of apology read to the court, Berrigan said he was remorseful for killing Mr McPherson. "I can never forgive myself for being the reason Nathan is no longer with us," he said. "Knowing I walked away when he was hurt, I will never forgive myself." Justice Peter Davis told Berrigan his crime had "devastated" Mr McPherson's family. He told the court a psychologist's report found Berrigan had experienced sexual abuse as a child for which he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. Berrigan will be eligible for parole once 80 per cent of his sentence has been served. With time already served, he will be eligible for parole on April 10, 2032. Speaking after the hearing, Carina McPherson struggled to put her emotions into words. "No words can describe it," she said. "It's going to affect [his children] for the rest of their lives. Ten years isn't enough, I reckon a life for a life."
