Major update in Cassius Turvey murder case

Four people accused of killing the Noongar Yamatji teenager in October will all be going to trial to fight charges of murder.

Warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers: this story contains the name and images of a person who has died.

Four people, accused of the fatal bashing of 15-year-old Cassius Turvey in the eastern Perth suburb of Middle Swan in October, will all be going to trial.

Jack Brearley, 22, Aleesha Gilmore, 21, Mitchell Colin Forth, 25, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 28, appeared via video link in Western Australia’s Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, all entering pleas of not guilty over the death of the Noongar Yamatji boy.

Cassius was allegedly beaten as he walked home with friends on October 13, dying in hospital 10 days later.

Cassius Turvey, 15, was allegedly fatally beaten with what’s believed to have been a metal pole as he walked home from school with a group of friends in Middle Swan on October 13.

The Noongar Yamatji teenager succumbed to his catastrophic injuries in hospital 10 days after his alleged attack.

The group, with the exception of Mr Palmer, also pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and torturing another 15-year-old boy, who was not Cassius, in a separate incident on October 9 – just days before Cassius’ fatal incident.

Mr Palmer is not accused of being involved in this earlier matter.

Mr Brearley, who has been in custody the longest, and was arrested in the immediate aftermath of the alleged incident, appeared from Casuarina Prison.

Mr Forth and Mr Palmer both appeared from Hakea Prison, and Ms Gilmore appeared from Greenough Regional Prison, near the mid-west town of Geraldton.

The trio were all charged in January following the investigation into Cassius’ death. They also pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the alleged assault of a 13-year-old friend of Cassius’ and are also accused of stealing the boy’s crutches and baseball cap, worth an estimated $120.

All four accused have been remanded in custody until their first Supreme Court appearance on July 31.

Aleesha Gilmore, 21, appeared in Perth’s Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via video link from Greenough Regional Prison on Wednesday, where she pleaded not guilty to the murder of Cassius Turvey.

Jack Brearley, 22, also officially entered a not guilty plea to murder on Wednesday. Of the four accused, he has been in custody the longest, since his arrest in October.

Cassius’ brother and two of his cousins attended court on Wednesday, but declined to comment outside the courthouse.

The actual motivation is yet to be revealed in court. The four accused spoke little during their appearances on Wednesday, only responding to the magistrate that they could see and hear the court, and said “not guilty, your honour” when asked to enter pleas for each charge.

Originally published as Major update in Cassius Turvey murder case