In a startling development in the high-profile murder trial over the killing of 15-year-old Indigenous boy Cassius Turvey, the Western Australia Supreme Court heard testimony Monday from another teenage boy who claims he was brutally attacked by some of the same men accused in Turvey’s death. The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, recounted a harrowing ordeal that allegedly took place mere days before Turvey was fatally assaulted in Perth’s eastern suburbs in October 2022.
Teen Describes Terrifying Encounter
Taking the stand, the now 17-year-old witness described playing with friends in a park when a car pulled up and three men got out – identified as defendants Jack Steven James Brearley, 23, Mitchell Colin Forth, 26, and Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20. Fearing for his safety, the teen said he attempted to flee and hide.
“I ran and tried to hide … I was fearful of who they were … Coming to hurt us, so I just ran,” the witness told the jury.
But the trio allegedly caught up to him, with the teen recalling a brutal onslaught: “I got punched in the face and I fell over and I got stomped on.” He said a knife was pulled out and he was stabbed, though he didn’t immediately realize it at the time. The men allegedly dragged him down the road, threatening to kill him if he ran, and demanding to know the whereabouts of his “boys”.
Abducted and Interrogated
The witness testified he was then forced into a car with the three assailants and Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, Brearley’s girlfriend at the time who is also charged in Turvey’s murder. He said they drove him to Gilmore’s house, arguing along the way that he was “not who they were after.”
“They said something like don’t say anything or we’ll hurt you … Jack and Mitchell,” the teen recounted about his alleged abductors.
After being ordered to shower, the injured boy was given a bandage, fresh clothes and shoes. Gilmore allegedly photographed him and contacted his sister on Facebook to let her know he was alright. After about two hours, they dropped the teen off at home with an ominous warning not to say anything or face retribution.
A Senseless Tragedy
None of the accused have admitted to the charges related to this previous alleged assault. But the disturbing testimony hints at a possible pattern of violence leading up to the senseless slaying of Cassius Turvey, a tragedy that shocked the nation and sparked anguished calls for justice for Indigenous peoples.
Turvey, described as a promising young leader, was walking home from school with friends on October 13, 2022 when, prosecutors say, he was chased down and beaten with a metal pole, causing fatal head injuries. The Noongar Yamatji boy died in hospital 10 days later, plunging his community into mourning.
Demands for Accountability
As the trial continues and more witnesses take the stand, Australians are closely following the proceedings and hoping the full truth about the events leading to Cassius Turvey’s death will finally be brought to light. For the Indigenous community, it’s another devastating blow in an all too familiar cycle of violence and injustice.
“How many more of our young people need to die before real change happens?” asked one Indigenous rights advocate. “We’re tired of the empty promises. It’s time for accountability.”
With the eyes of a nation upon them, the judge and jury in the Cassius Turvey murder trial carry a heavy burden – to examine the evidence objectively, follow the facts unflinchingly, and ultimately, if warranted, hold those responsible to account. Only then can the long journey toward healing and justice truly begin.
