Warning: This story contains the name and images of a deceased Indigenous person.
In court, it was revealed that a vengeful individual, accused of killing an Indigenous teenager, was actively seeking children with a metal pole. He later boasted about hitting the boy in the head, according to testimonies presented during the trial.
Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was attacked in Perth’s eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022.
MacKenzie allegedly pulled out a 35cm knife and stabbed a boy in the chest, causing a shallow wound.
Following this, another incident occurred three days later on October 12. A group of school-aged children visited Gilmore’s residence, and it was suggested that they likely retaliated for the previous events by vandalizing Brearley’s car. This act of vandalism was discussed by Stanwix when presenting his case to the jury.
The prosecutor characterized the situation as a cycle of retaliatory actions, with each party escalating the conflict. He mentioned that Brearley and Forth eventually resorted to using a car as a weapon, chasing down two boys and hitting one of them in the process.
The following day, Gilmore’s brothers warned that a group of teens could be coming to their family home, where Brearley also lived, looking for a fight.
“Intent on violence” the accused allegedly armed themselves with metal poles pulled from shopping trolleys and knuckle dusters before driving off to search for youths.
“Somebody smashed my car and they’re about to die,” Brearley allegedly said.
At about the same time, Cassius was walking with a group of 19 fellow students to watch a fight being talked about on social media.
The accused intercepted the group and during a series of clashes, Brearley was allegedly slashed in the leg with a knife and another boy was struck in the face with a metal pole.
Cassius and some of the other “terrified school kids” fled into nearby bushland, with Stanwix saying Brearley was “hunting for kids with a metal pole”.
“Cassius didn’t make it as far as the fence when the accused Brearley caught up with him,” he said.
“He was struck to the head at least twice.
“At the moment Brearley struck him he was filled with fury … he did so intending to at least cause Cassius serious injury.”
Stanwix said Brearley later bragged about his “vigilante violence”, saying: “He was just lying in the field and I was striking him with the trolley pole so hard so he learnt his lesson”.
MacKenzie is also on trial but not for the murder charge.
The trial, which is expected to hear from 89 witnesses, continues tomorrow.
For 24/7 crisis support run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, contact 13YARN (13 92 76).
