Doubleview kidnapping: Ashley James Bropho’s carer was for disability support, Mark McGowan says

The man accused of luring a nine-year-old girl from a Doubleview park — who was brought up alongside Cleo Smith’s abductor — was being provided a disability support carer unrelated to the criminal justice system, it has been revealed. Premier Mark McGowan made the revelation on Thursday after a court was told Ashley Bropho was involved in a community inclusion program with Outcare and had a carer who was “around the area” at the time of his alleged crimes. It came as Outcare refused to answer questions around what the carer was said to be doing when Mr Bropho allegedly offended and whether the not-for-profit organisation would be launching its own investigation into the allegations. Police allege Mr Bropho coerced the young girl from Jackson Wilding Reserve about 10.30am to his home nearby where he indecently dealt with her before she was able to flee. “These are matters now before the courts, which makes it difficult for me to comment upon these issues because I do not want to in any way prejudice any criminal matters that might be brought against any individual,” Mr McGowan told reporters. “But I am advised that the accused person was not subject to any orders: parole, bail, justice orders. “There was no orders against that person. There was some disability support provided to him but they are not related to the justice system and they were not 24 hours a day. “The advice I have is there was no parole, no bail, no justice orders against this person. It was more he was provided with disability support as indeed, many thousands of people are each and every day. So that’s the situation as I am advised.” In Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, police prosecutors cited the fact that Mr Bropho’s carer was “around the area” at the time of his alleged offending as grounds for opposing bail in the “strongest terms”. They said that alleged fact demonstrated that no conditions could be imposed to ensure community safety. Asked if he could confirm if the carer was supposed to be supervising Mr Bropho at the time of his alleged offending, Mr McGowan said he did not know the exact issues but “it’s not a related issue”. “There are thousands of people who have disability care and attention each and every day under the NDIS,” he said. “I understand there was only a certain number of hours allocated to this individual each day. “And I don’t know within those hours what the exact arrangement was. But there was no parole, no bail, no justice orders against this individual at this point in time.” Mr McGowan said he would not talk about whether Mr Bropho had a criminal history or not as to not prejudice a potential criminal trial. It was revealed on Wednesday that Mr Bropho was raised in the same house, by the same woman — the late Aboriginal elder Penny Walker— as convicted kidnapper Terence Kelly, who abducted Cleo Smith from a campsite near Carnarvon last year. Kelly kept the four-year-old hostage in his house for 18 days before her miraculous rescue by police. Ms Walker told a Parliamentary Inquiry in 2014 that she had to care for Mr Bropho, her grandson, “24/7” before her death in 2020. Mr McGowan said the nine-year-old’s alleged ordeal this week appeared to be a “shocking incident” and “our thoughts go out to the family”. “I think this incident will cause a lot of distress for the family and the victim,” he said. “And that’s who we are most concerned about. That’s where our support will be.” The West Australian sent a series of questions to Outcare on Thursday, which all went unanswered. In a statement, Outcare managing director Shane Mauger said: “These are disturbing allegations, and Outcare is working with police and the relevant authorities to assist with the investigation. “In the interest of justice and the alleged victim and their family, I encourage you not to speculate on the circumstances which may impede the investigation and the court proceedings.” Outcare is a not-for-profit community organisation that provides support to people who come into contact with the justice system, and who are living with disability or mental illness. Their support ranges from reintegration following imprisonment, implementing court orders and community support and integration services. Some clients are provided with Outcare disability justice case workers who help with daily activities including activities, community participation, food shopping, banking and general life administration. Outcare’s website states Lotterywest, the Mental Health Commission and the Department of Training and Workplace Development as among its “principle partners”. However, Lotterywest on Thursday said the organisation was “not a current grant customer of Lotterywest”. The last time a grant was given was in 2018.