Prosecutors say it was a teenage romance that launched a series of events that led to the murder of Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey in 2022.
Prosecutors say it was a teenage romance that launched a series of events that led to the murder of Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey in 2022.
By Rebecca Peppiatt
February 12, 2025 — 4.45pm
A “love triangle” that prosecutors allege instigated a series of events which culminated in the murder of Perth schoolboy Cassius Turvey was detailed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday as the teenage girl at the centre of it gave evidence.
Jack Brearley, 23, his former girlfriend Aleesha Gilmore, 23, Brodie Palmer, 29 and Mitchell Forth, 27 have all been charged with murder over Cassius’ death.
A fifth person, Ethan Mackenzie, 20, is also on trial, accused of detaining and wounding another 15-year-old boy in the days before Cassius was attacked. He is not accused of murdering Cassius.
On the third day of the trial, the court heard from a 16-year-old girl who had been in a relationship with Gilmore’s youngest brother Cody Gilmore in the days before Cassius was bashed over the head with the metal handle of a shopping trolley in the north-east suburb of Middle Swan.
Prosecutors previously told the jury that relationship sparked a jealous argument between Cody and the girl’s ex, another teenage boy, which turned into a heated online exchange.
The court heard the relationship between the girl and Cody had only begun a few days prior, upsetting her former flame, and a fight was arranged between them.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury that on October 9, four days before Cassius was bashed, groups of young people were wandering the north-east suburb of Swan View searching for the two boys.
This led to Cody recruiting his older sister, 21-year-old childcare worker Aleesha Gilmore, to help defend him when he realised his love rival was bringing friends.
The girl told the jury that at some point on the afternoon of October 9, she was at a bus stop with friends when Gilmore and Brearley pulled up in a small blue car to ask where the boys looking to fight Cody were.
“I didn’t know where they went, so I just pointed in some random direction, and they said, ‘You better not be lying to us’, and then they went,” she told prosecutor Ben Stanwix.
Further questioning revealed Brearley as the person the girl alleged was in the passenger seat of the car that pulled up to her and her friends and threatened them.
“You said before that he screamed at you?“, Stanwix asked the girl.
“Yeah, he was mad,” she said.
What emotion did he use? – He was just angry. Angry talking.
Prosecutors previously told the jury it was their case that Brearley, Aleesha Gilmore, Forth and Mackenzie then found and assaulted a 14-year-old boy who was unrelated to the fight between Cody and his rival, in a case of mistaken identity.
That alleged assault led to a retaliatory attack three days later, where Brearley’s car windows were smashed.
In turn, that led to Brearley, Gilmore, Forth and Palmer allegedly chasing a group of school children – which included Cassius – on October 13, believing they were responsible for smashing the car windows.
Who delivered the fatal blows to Cassius, causing his death in hospital 10 days later, is the subject of speculation, with Brearley, through his lawyer, blaming Palmer, and Palmer’s lawyer claiming it was an “enraged” Brearley who swung the pole at the 15-year-old.
The trial continues.
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Rebecca Peppiatt – is a journalist with WAtoday, specialising in crime and courts.Connect via email.
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