Four people appear in court over the alleged murder of schoolboy

The group of four are accused of killing the teenager as he walked home from school in October.

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

Four people have appeared in court over the alleged murder of 15-year-old Cassius Turvey.

Aleesha Gilmore, 21, Jack Brearley, 22, Mitchell Forth, 24, and Brodie Palmer, 27, all appeared in Perth’s Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning via video link from three different prisons.

The group have all been charged with murder of the fatal bashing of 15-year-old Cassius, from Noongar-Yamatji, in the northeastern Perth suburb of Middle Swan on October 13.

He died in Perth Children’s Hospital from his injuries five days later.

Cassius Turvey was savagely beaten with a pole, believed to have been a shopping trolley handle, as he walked home from school on October 13.

He died in Perth Children’s Hospital five days after the attack.

Mr Brearley is also accused of attacking a 13-year-old boy who was part of the group walking with Cassius at the time of the alleged attack.

Mr Brearley, Ms Gilmore and Mr Forth also appeared on charges of kidnapping after allegedly assaulting another 15-year-old boy and taking him to a nearby home in Swan View before releasing him.

Mr Palmer is accused of taking part in the killing of Cassius but is not believed to have been involved in the alleged kidnapping, which took place just days before Cassius was attacked.

Wednesday was also the first time Mr Brearley, Ms Gilmore and Mr Forth appeared on both the murder and kidnapping charges.

The matter was adjourned for eight weeks, with all four to appear again in the same court for a committal mention on May 24.

Accused Jack Brearley is ready for the matter to proceed to trial, but his co-accused need another eight weeks to prepare their cases before the matter can advance.

Notably absent from the courtroom were supporters of Cassius, who have been present at other court proceedings.

That includes Cassius’ mother Mechelle Turvey, who has been a vocal advocate on the need for justice in the matter.

In January, Ms Turvey accepted an unpaid advisory role with WA Police.

The boy’s death sparked nationwide and overseas protests, calling for justice for Cassius.

Supporters of the Turvey family often show up to court wearing T-shirts with pictures of Cassius on them.