WA news LIVE: ‘He was crying’: Schoolgirl recalls moment she saw injured Cassius Turvey​on February 24, 2025 at 4:17 am

To the courts now, and the trial of four people accused of murdering Perth teenager Cassius Turvey has begun hearing evidence of the day he was fatally attacked with a trolley pole in October 2022.

A girl, aged 16 at the time, has taken the stand, explaining how she had just got off a school bus with the 15-year-old boy and “11 to 20” others in Middle Swan when a car full of people drove past and shouted out the window, “You smashed our windows, you bl–k c–ts”.

Some of the group walking on the path shouted back that they didn’t know what the group in the car were talking about, and that “no one smashed any windows”.

The prosecution alleges the group in the car had the wrong people, and that Cassius was the victim of a mistaken identity crime.

The girl said the car pulled up and men jumped out continuing to yell about smashed car windows before retrieving weapons, causing most of the group to run away into nearby bushland.

“The boys started running, and the men were chasing after them,” the teen girl said.

She said when she saw Cassius again, he was emerging from the bush alone and bleeding.

“He was holding his head, and it was bleeding down his head and his ear and he was crying,” she said.

Police did not speak to the girl about the incident until 11 days later, after Cassius died in hospital from his head injuries.

Aleesha Gilmore, 23, her boyfriend Jack Brearley, 23, and his mates Brodie Palmer, 29 and Mitchell Forth, 26, are on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius’ murder.

They have pleaded not guilty.

The trial continues.

Environment minister Reece Whitby has labelled the coral bleaching occurring at WA’s world heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef as “shocking”, telling a media conference today he has requested increased monitoring of the reef.

“It’s a horrendous impact on the reef,” he said.

“We want to know how extensive this will be, it is one of the biggest impacts of the system up there we’ve ever seen.

“We don’t know if this has been a shock to the system which the system will come back from, or whether this is a devastating blow that is going to have a lasting impact.”

Whitby said the ultimate solution to the problem was to tackle climate change through “a very long and prolonged effort in terms of decarbonising our economy”.

Fresh off their respective campaign launches on Sunday, Liberal leader Libby Mettam and Premier Roger Cook have hit the campaign trail running.

Mettam was in Shelley this morning with a promise to address a major pinch point on Leach Highway at the Shelley Bridge.

Mettam pledged $112.5 million to duplicate the bridge, removing the need for merge lanes.

“Shelley Bridge has long been a source of frustration for locals and anyone travelling anywhere between Fremantle and the Perth Airport,” she said.

“This is a shovel ready, long-overdue project which will significantly ease congestion on Leach Highway and local roads which have been left to carry the burden from those trying to avoid this bottleneck.”

Mettam said a petition run by Liberal candidate for Riverton Amanda Spencer-Teo to address the issues at the bridge had received more than 1000 signatures.

Cook was also south of the river this morning pushing his $5000 rebate and $10,000 no interest loans for low and middle income earners to install home batteries.

Home battery installers are concerned people will cancel their planned batteries and wait for the rebate to take effect in the middle of the year.

Energy Minister Reece Whitby said there was never an easy way to introduce schemes like this.

“You’ll get other people that will complain if we make the announcement the day before it’s available, that they’ve invested, and they should have known about it,” he said.

WA Police have released footage of a driver being chased down by a detective in Mandurah after she allegedly ran out of fuel while trying to evade officers.

The Bunbury woman, 25, was observed by police driving a Holden Commodore sedan through the rear car park of a Silver Sands supermarket around 9.30pm last night.

When officers activated their emergency lights, the driver allegedly accelerated away, driving recklessly and at speed through several streets in Mandurah, Halls Head and Falcon before abandoning the car on Old Coast Road when it ran out of fuel.

She was chased down on foot by an officer and charged with failing to stop, reckless driving, stealing, unlawful possession, drug charges and being in possession of OC spray.

She is due in court this morning.

If you’ve noticed it’s a bit hazy outside, authorities have just issued a smoke alert for the Perth area and surrounds.

Parks and Wildlife said the areas impacted included Perth, Jurien Bay, Windy Harbour, Northclifee, Shannon and Walpole.

“An easterly wind is currently pushing smoke offshore, as the wind changes around 11am to a westerly, smoke will possibly extend to Walpole and surrounds,” the alert read.

“The smoke is a result of multiple bushfires near Manjimup and Collie.”

Motorists are urged to drive to the conditions.

People with asthma and pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses should follow their pre-prepared treatment plan.

If affected by smoke, contact your doctor or call Health Direct on 1800 022 222.

WA voters keen to cast their ballot for the state election early can do so from today, with early voting booths opening at 8am across 61 locations.

It’s expected that more than half of West Australians will cast their vote before the official polling day on March 8.

Meanwhile, as the election campaign ramps up, opposition leader Shane Love has slammed a decision to exclude him from a leaders’ debate, airing tonight on Channel 7.

“Politics in Western Australia is no longer a duopoly, and the people of WA deserve a
wider range of voices,” the Nationals leader said.

“Especially at a time when many have grown weary of the same old back-and-forth rhetoric of the major parties.

“The WA medias continued focus on the two major parties denies Western Australians the opportunity to engage with new ideas and fresh voices that truly represent their interests.”

Companies buying up properties to accommodate staff as well as investor interest is fuelling demand for houses in Geraldton which has experienced the strongest growth in price in the December 2024 quarter, according to fresh data from REIWA.

Geraldton’s median house sale price rose 5.8 per cent to $455,000, up from $430,000 in the September 2024 quarter.

REIWA regional spokesperson Joe White said while the FOMO may have eased in Perth, members say it’s still strong in Geraldton.

“While the data shows there isn’t a shortage of established homes coming to market, they are selling quickly. This gives the appearance of limited stock and fuels that fear of missing out,” he said.

“Competition is strongest in the mid-range price brackets, with properties priced around the median continuing to attract multiple offers and selling quickly.

“Family homes are particularly popular and are selling as soon as they come to market.”

White said several factors were fuelling the demand for established homes in Geraldton.

“There is strong interest from investors, who are looking for houses that are ready to rent out, as well as companies wanting accommodation for staff,” he said.

“We’re also hearing that people are choosing to buy an established home, rather than build, as the cost of building is too high, particularly since increased building standards are being applied to new builds following Cyclone Seroja.

“Unless we see an increase in affordable new supply or innovative solutions, such as using transportable homes in the short term, we can expect the challenges in the established homes market to continue.”

Eight of the regional centres recorded price growth over the quarter. Port Hedland was the only regional centre where the median house sale price declined.

Annually, Bunbury saw the highest growth, with the median house sale price rising 28.5 per cent to $591,250. Busselton was the state’s second-best performer, recording 20.1 per cent growth over the year to $865,000.

In case you missed it, major crash detectives revealed on Sunday drivers were allegedly forced to “swerve and brake” to avoid being hit by Perth obstetrician Rhys Bellinge on February 15 during a 15-minute rampage before he allegedly killed 24-year-old Elizabeth Pearce.

A West Australian man could face five years in jail after he allegedly threatened a federal parliamentarian over social media.

Australian Federal Police raided a 29-year-old’s house yesterday in Toodyay in the state’s Wheatbelt region and forensically reviewed several electronic devices.

Police allege three cannabis plants and drug-related items were also found at the property.

The man was charged with three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.

The alleged offence carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

He was also charged with two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and one count of cultivation of a prohibited plant.

Authorities will allege the man made threats to the member of parliament over social media between November and December last year.

The man was granted conditional bail by WA Police.

He is due to appear before Perth Magistrates Court on March 12.

The AFP has not disclosed the identity of the MP or the nature of the threats.

9 News Perth

Here’s what’s making news this morning.

• Voters have lifted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to a significant new lead in the race for power at the federal election, an exclusive poll shows.
• The Coalition will match Labor’s $8.5 billion bulk-billing pledge, turning up the dial on election spending ahead of the launch of the official campaign.
• China has conducted the second live-firing exercise from a warship in two days in the waters between Australia and New Zealand.

• Centre-right Opposition Leader Friedrich Merz of Germany’s conservatives has claimed victory in national elections, while exit polls suggested the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has come second.

• Pope Francis remains in a critical condition, and blood tests show early kidney failure, but he remains alert and “well-oriented” and attended mass, the Vatican said.