The man accused of murdering an Indigenous teenager with a metal pole in Perth has testified that he only punched the boy, while his co-accused was the one who struck him. Fifteen-year-old Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died ten days after he was allegedly chased down and hit in the head with a metal pole in October 2022 in Perth’s eastern suburbs.

Aleesha Gilmore, 23, her boyfriend Jack Brearley, 24, and friends Brodie Palmer, 29, and Mitchell Forth, 26, are on trial for the teenager’s murder. Brearley testified that he chased Cassius towards a creek and, after Cassidy slowed down and tripped, they ended up on the ground. Brearley claimed Cassius stabbed him with a knife and that he responded by punching him.

According to Brearley’s testimony, he was several paces away from Cassius when he saw Palmer with a shopping trolley handle. Brearley stated that Palmer ran towards Cassius and hit him with the pole, resulting in a screech. Brearley tried to stop Palmer, but to no avail. Brearley also testified about a conversation with Palmer after the incident where Palmer stated he couldn’t trust Brearley to keep quiet and warned him that they wouldn’t survive if he spoke to the police.

The jury also heard about the alleged threats made to Gilmore’s home before the assault and the retraction of metal poles from shopping trolleys in an alleyway by Brearley and his co-accused. Brearley said that he initially thought it would be best not to have weapons and left the pole in the driveway.

Brearley admitted to making a threatening statement about the people responsible for smashing his car windows, stating that it was just an idiotic comment without any intent to kill someone. The trial is ongoing.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/03/i-seen-him-hit-him-man-accused-of-cassius-turvey-blames-friend