West Kimberley Regional Prison: Inmates break out of cells in late-night riot, union says 45 beds ‘destroyed'
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West Kimberley Regional Prison: Inmates break out of cells in late-night riot, union says 45 beds 'destroyed'
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Perth Now
24 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Indigenous teen's killer appeals verdicts and sentence
One of the men found guilty of killing an Indigenous teenager, who was chased into bushland and violently bashed, is appealing his convictions and sentence. Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, died in hospital 10 days after he was deliberately struck to the head with a metal pole in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022. Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 30, were sentenced to life behind bars for murdering the 15-year-old after a 12-week trial in the West Australian Supreme Court. Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also accused of Cassius's murder, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to a total 12 years' imprisonment, eligible for parole after serving 10 years. He has since lodged legal challenges against his convictions and manslaughter sentence imposed by Chief Justice Peter Quinlan. The guilty verdicts were unreasonable and unsupported, and the nine-year sentence for manslaughter was excessive given the circumstances, court documents said. Forth, who was convicted of six offences, was also given cumulative terms of one year and two years for two counts of deprivation of liberty committed on October 9 against two other youths. Forth will be eligible for parole in January 2033 after his sentence was backdated to January 2023. His other convictions for two counts of assault and stealing are for offences committed on October 9 and 13, for which he was handed concurrent sentences totalling five years and two months. Brearley delivered the fatal blows on Cassius while "hunting for kids" because somebody had smashed his car windows. He chased Cassius into bushland and knocked the teen to the ground and hit him in the head with a metal pole, causing bleeding in his brain that led to his death. When delivering the sentences for the three men in June, Justice Quinlan said the trio had cut Cassius's life short in a horrendous and vengeful act of aggression, violence and brutality. He said Forth was never the main offender in the shameful course of events but always there in the background. "You were just following along in the excitement of trying to be a tough guy," the judge said. "And you followed Mr Brearley all the way to a conviction for manslaughter." Brearley will be eligible for parole after serving 22 years and Palmer after serving 18 years. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Accused heroin-smuggling grandad refused bail again
A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case. Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024. Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher. Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday. It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody. A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty. "This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday. Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026. "He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said. "There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time." "Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said. The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial. Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024. He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation. Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals. However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs. "There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told. Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him". The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out". "There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused." A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case. Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024. Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher. Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday. It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody. A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty. "This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday. Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026. "He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said. "There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time." "Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said. The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial. Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024. He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation. Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals. However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs. "There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told. Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him". The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out". "There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused." A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case. Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024. Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher. Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday. It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody. A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty. "This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday. Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026. "He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said. "There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time." "Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said. The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial. Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024. He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation. Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals. However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs. "There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told. Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him". The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out". "There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused." A grandfather accused of smuggling heroin worth more than $2 million in a camp stretcher has failed to win bail after accusing federal police of withholding vital information in his case. Barry James Calverley, a mining safety officer from Perth, was arrested at Sydney Airport after he arrived on a flight from Vietnam in January 2024. Australian Border Force officers allegedly found 5kg of heroin, worth $2.25 million, concealed in his camp stretcher. Calverley, who is in his early 70s and appeared via a video link from custody wearing his green prison uniform, was denied bail in the NSW District Court on Thursday. It was the second refusal after the NSW Supreme Court in mid-2024 decided to keep him in custody. A trial is set for March 2026 where Calverley will face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty. "This is hardly a rare trial. You see these kind of trials throughout our system - for better or for worse," Judge John Pickering said on Thursday. Calverley's lawyer Justine Hopper strongly argued the Australian Federal Police had withheld crucial information until the eve of his original trial date scheduled for later this year, but which was pushed back to early 2026. "He said to them (AFP officers), straight up, 'I've got information for you. I can tell you who's involved'," she said. "There's nothing at all that shows that any federal agent has followed up any information that this man has told them when they pulled him up at the airport at the time." "Their lack of due diligence means that this man sits in custody," she said. The judge acknowledged the late disclosure but was unconvinced Calverley should be released to stay with his daughters in Sydney before the trial. Judge Pickering referred to incriminating Whatsapp text messages that Calverley allegedly sent to his criminal syndicate handlers which were revealed in court in August 2024. He had allegedly told law enforcement officers that he was duped by an international criminal organisation. Upon his arrest, the AFP said the quantity of heroin the West Australian man was accused of importing would have been enough for 25,000 street deals. However, the crown prosecutor argued there was a clear financial incentive involved for the West Australian man by importing the drugs. "There was a substantial amount of money that he was hoping to collect," the court was told. Ms Hopper said a jury could read the messages from "two sides" to which the judge agreed but noted "still probably the odds are against him". The judge said the WhatsApp messages showed that Calverley "knew the very risk he was taking ... and believed he could use the excuse of being scammed as a way out". "There is no question in my mind that this is still and remains a very strong case against the accused."
West Australian
11 hours ago
- West Australian
Natnael Habte: Perth man accused of trading drugs for sex with teen girls at Celebration Park in Balga
The West Australian exclusive Natnael Habte: Perth man accused of trading drugs for sex with teen girls at Celebration Park in Balga
