Aleesha Gilmore looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders on Thursday when a Supreme Court jury declared her not guilty of the murder or manslaughter of Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey.
The verdict marked the end of a two-year battle for Gilmore and her family, who say they have suffered death threats and assaults since she was arrested accused of being involved in the brutal bashing of an innocent boy.
Aleesha Gilmore was found innocent of murder.Credit: 9 News Perth
Gilmore, 23, a former childcare worker, was at the time in a relationship with Jack Brearley, 24, who declared war against a group of schoolkids he wrongly believed had smashed the windows of his car.
Cassius, 15, was caught up in the melee on October 13, 2022 and chased by Brearley and his former friend and fellow thug, Brodie Palmer, 29.
Both Brearley and Palmer were found guilty of murder and a third man, Mitchell Forth, was found guilty of manslaughter. Gilmore was found not guilty of both.
On Thursday, it was revealed it was Palmer who held Cassius down while Brearley bashed him in the head with the metal handle of a shopping trolley.
Cassius died in hospital from his injuries 10 days later.
During the assault, Gilmore was nowhere near the Middle Swan reserve, having had an argument with Brearley and left the car they were driving around in.
During the three-month trial, it was repeated that Gilmore had gone back to the home she shared with her father, two brothers and Brearley, and was there when Cassius was being chased and hit.
It was also revealed she was self-harming at the time, and was later taken to hospital.
Gilmore was charged with murder alongside Brearley, Palmer, and Forth.
Her arrest led to a community onslaught, her grandmother Kim Gilmore told this masthead on Thursday.
“She was involved with stupid people at the time,” Kim said.
“If she had done it, then I would have said she deserved all the punishment she gets because at the end of the day, it’s a young boy that’s died. It’s just a terrible situation.”
Gilmore has been locked up for two years and four months since her arrest on January 19, 2023.
Kim said her arrest and link to the murder affected the whole family.
“The whole family are living in hiding,” she said, and claimed her son – Gilmore’s father – was forced to move house after his property and vehicles were repeatedly vandalised.
Gilmore was raised by her father alongside her two brothers, one of whom was told by police he was the catalyst for a series of events that led to Cassius’ death.
Gilmore’s brother had become involved with a girl who was already involved with another boy. The “love triangle”, as it was labelled in court, led to threats of retaliation, assaults, a kidnapping and a theft – and ultimately murder.
The Gilmores have since moved house and Kim has had to change her car after she was repeatedly abused by members of the community who assumed her granddaughter was guilty of Cassius’ murder.
While she was found not guilty of any involvement in Cassius’ death, Gilmore was found guilty of three other charges, including aggravated bodily harm and deprivation of liberty. They relate to other incidents that occurred days before Cassius’ bashing and involved different victims.
On Thursday afternoon, a few hours after the verdicts were delivered, Gilmore’s legal team headed by Perth barrister Simon Freitag, applied to Chief Justice Peter Quinlan to release Gilmore on bail ahead of her sentencing in June.
Freitag told the court his client’s conduct was minimal in those offences, and she had later apologised and helped the victims, reducing her culpability.
During the trial, the court was told Gilmore often played a mother role to her younger brothers.
She also has a criminal record, and on Thursday afternoon it was revealed she was on bail for other violent crimes at the time of the offences.
Freitag also told the court during Thursday’s bail application his client had been moved multiple times while in prison due to threats and had been assaulted, and would live with her father if granted bail.
Gilmore’s bail application was denied. Quinlan told her that her ultimate sentence would likely exceed time already spent in jail.
Ethan Mackenzie, who was also found guilty over his involvement in the series of assaults in the days before Cassius’ bashing, was also denied bail.
They will be sentenced on June 26 alongside Palmer, Brearley and Forth.
Crisis support is available from Lifeline, 13 11 14.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.