Cassius Turvey’s killers sentenced in the WA Supreme Court over the murder of the Perth schoolboy

The mother of a slain Perth schoolboy has unleashed on her son’s killers outside court, after two men were handed life sentences for murder.

The mother of slain Perth schoolboy Cassius Turvey has slammed her son’s killers as “monsters” after two men were handed down life sentences for murder.

Jack Brearley, 24, spend at least 22 years behind bars for the brutal murder of Cassius, 15, who he savagely attacked with a shopping trolley handle multiple times on October 13, 2022.

Brodie Palmer, 30, will need to serve a minimum of 18 years for his role in Cassius’s murder.

Mitchell Forth, 27, received a minimum term of 12 years for manslaughter.

Cassius Turvey’s mother Mechelle Turvey hugs state prosecutor Ben Stanwix after her son’s killers were handed a life sentence in the WA Supreme Court. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow

Aleesha Gilmore was found not guilty of murder and the lesser charge of manslaughter by a jury.

Gilmore was sentenced to three years and nine months for her role in snatching two boys off the street and the assault of another four days before Cassius was killed.

She was set free on a conditional suspended sentence and will be placed on a supervision order and curfew for six months.

Ethan McKenzie was not there the day Cassius was killed but was sentenced for two years and six months for his role in kidnapping two boys and stabbing one on October 9, 2022.

He will be eligible for parole on November 25.

Mechelle Turvey, mother of Cassius, embraces Detective Senior Sargeant Stephen Cleal after her son’s killers were sentenced to life in jail. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow

Cassius’ mother Mechelle Turvey said Brearley showed no remorse after taking the life of an innocent child who had done absolutely nothing wrong.

She said Gilmour had an opportunity to tell police about Brearley’s intentions when she spoke to them on the phone about another matter in the moments before Cassius was attacked, but didn’t.

Cassius was set upon by three men and beaten with a shopping trolley handle over petty grievances that had nothing to do with him while walking with friends after school on October 13, 2022.

The boy died from his injuries in hospital 10 days later.

Four days before the attack the group of violent “thugs” kidnapped two young boys at knifepoint off suburban streets in Perth’s east over threats made between other children that did not involve them.

Jack Brearley has been sentenced in the WA Supreme Court for the murder of Cassius Turvey.

Chief Justice Peter Quinland said Brearley lacked any credibility and was a comical liar who showed no remorse whatsoever.

He said Cassius was robbed of his life because Brearley cut his life short in an act of violent aggression.

“You cannot make amends when you do not acknowledge the pain you have caused,” he said.

“You tried to frame an innocent man, then said your co-accused was the killer.

“You are a very bad liar Mr Brearley, your lies are often obvious and completely incredible.”

Ms Turvey told a court on Thursday it would take lifetimes to heal from her son’s senseless and violent murder by a group of vigilante adults.

She said the attack on her son was racially motivated and young Aboriginal children were racially vilified before they were chased down by her son’s killers, in a victim impact statement to the WA Supreme Court.

Cassius Turvey’s mother Mechelle told a court on Thursday it would take lifetimes to heal from her son’s senseless and violent murder by a group of vigilante adults. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow

Mechelle Turvey with her family and supporters after Cassius’ killers were sentenced. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow

While the prosecution argued it was not a racially motivated attack during the three month trial, Chief Justice Quinlan told the court the group used racially-charged language and racial slurs, calling them “n-words and black c***s.”

“It is not a surprise when non-Aboriginal men set upon Aboriginal kids and beats a boy so badly that it kills him, the kids thought they were being set upon because they were Aboriginal,” he said.

“That fear is real and is legitimate but it was your actions Brearley, Palmer and Forth and you are responsible for that fear.

“Brearley, Palmer and Forth; it would be easy for me to say you are monsters and to ignore your personal circumstances, but you are not monsters you have your own life history that have led you to conduct these horrendous crimes.

“One of the disturbing things revealed in his case is how normalised violence has become in this community, none of them thought it was strange to watch fights as a form of fun or entertainment, they thought it was a completely normal thing to do.

“When violence becomes normalised in society like horrific events in this case it will keep on happening.”

Cassius Turvey’s killers have been sentenced over his violent and senseless death in 2022. i

The chief justice said he was satisfied Brearley struck Cassius but his co-offenders were also legally culpable and intended to chase children armed with weapons to cause them harm.

He said all the offending involved children and vigilante behaviour over imagined grievances that saw the accused take the law into their own hands.

He said the boy who was stabbed and forced to get into a car with the three adult men who had beaten him up for no reason would have been terrified.

Witnesses told the court they saw people in the car wearing balaclavas and a boy covered in blood, shocked and scared.

Originally published as Cassius Turvey’s killers sentenced in the WA Supreme Court over the murder of the Perth schoolboy