The man accused of killing Indigenous youngster Cassius Turvey as he walked home from school has been slammed with two further counts for allegedly assaulting a teenager using crutches.
Jack Steven James Brearley, 21, was charged with murder on October 13 after Cassius was allegedly chased and attacked with a metal rod shortly after off his school bus in Middle Swan, Perth, with a group of pals.
Cassius, age 15, tragically succumbed to his injuries ten days later, passing away on October 23 in a hospital.
Col Blanch, the police commissioner of Western Australia, disclosed on Friday that Brearley was facing additional charges for allegedly assaulting Cassius’ buddy, a 13-year-old kid on crutches, before pursuing the 15-year-old.
The 13-year-old child was with the group when Brearley reportedly struck him with a metal stick and stole his crutches, according to Commissioner Blanch.
The metal pole was apparently removed from a shopping cart and used to strike the 13-year-old child in the face, according to the report.
Brearley was charged with assault resulting in physical injury and theft of the 13-year-crutches. old’s
Commissioner Blanch stated, “Justice for Cassius is my top responsibility… Cassius was an innocent victim.”
During the alleged attack, police are examining whether racial slurs were used.
Commissioner Blanch stated that police were still investigating if it was racially motivated, but did not wish to jeopardize the future trial of Brearley.
He stated, “When it comes to this matter, we all want justice for Cassius, and the best way to achieve that is to let the court process run its course.”
Why would any of us jeopardize that?
Because if we can’t win justice for Cassius as a result of our remarks prior to the court proceeding, then I don’t want to be a part of those comments.
Brearley is scheduled to appear in court in Perth next month.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the 15-year-old and condemned the alleged attack on Friday.
This attack, which is plainly motivated by racism, tears your heart, he continued.
“We are a greater nation than that, and my heart goes out to the family and friends of the victims.”
Tony Armstrong, an ABC broadcaster, stated that people were hesitant to declare Cassius’ death a racist event and that the tragedy was not “Hollywood enough” for the Australian public and media to care.
On Thursday, he told The Project, “This is a 15-year-old boy who had ambitions, plans, and aspirations; we saw how ecstatic he was when he did his radio piece, and now all of that is gone.”
“It’s not sufficiently Hollywood. It is not sufficiently Hollywood for the Australian public and media to care. People think we’re getting better. Since the emergence of Black Lives Matter, there has been an increase in deaths in custody.
We don’t want to discuss how this is a racial incident because there is never any action.
‘However, it all boils down to the fact that the worth of property has been deemed greater than the life of a 15-year-old black boy.
How do you believe families feel about sending their children away? It’s disgusting and I’m furious. I understand that many mobs are distressed, and my heart goes out to the family.