‘They can just rot’: teen’s murderers face life in jail
Aaron Bunch |
Two men convicted of murdering an Indigenous teen who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole face life sentences, with the boy’s mother saying the pair can rot behind bars.
Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was “deliberately struck to the head” in Perth’s eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, causing nationwide outrage.
Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murdering the 15-year-old following a three-month trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, was convicted of manslaughter and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury on Thursday.
Outside the court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdict, Cassius’ mother Mechelle Turvey said her son identified Brearley and Palmer the night he was attacked.
“My son died for absolutely nothing,” she said, with family and supporters chanting “justice for Cassius”.
“His life was taken. He was hunted down for days … 15 years of age, my son has finally got justice. May he live forever.”
Ms Turvey said it was a “sore point” for her that police did not take a statement from Cassius before he died because of his head injury.
Asked about the verdicts, Ms Turvey said she was “numb with relief” after they were read.
“Justice to me will never be served because I don’t have my son, and he’s not coming back … they can just rot as far as I’m concerned,” she said.
Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury Brearley delivered the fatal blows while “hunting for kids” because somebody had smashed his car windows.
It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day.
Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed.
Palmer in turn denied Brearley’s account as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial.
Cassius was struck at least twice, causing bleeding in his brain.
His death shocked the community and the attack was described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and others as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn’t the case.
Lead investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Cleal said Cassius was a boy who went to school and didn’t make it home.
“Cassius was completely innocent … this was not his fault,” he said.
WA Premier Roger Cook said he hoped the guilty verdicts provided justice and closure for Cassius’ family.
“This is a dreadful, horrible experience, a very violent experience, and Cassius has left us,” he said.
“We’re deeply saddened and disturbed by the accounts of that crime.”
The men will be sentenced on June 26 and face mandatory life sentences under WA law.
AAP
