A high-profile prisoner with a chilling link to the man who kidnapped the girl Cleo Smith is found DEAD in his prison cell, as police investigate whether he was beaten to death.
A “high-profile” prisoner who is the half-brother of the man who kidnapped Cleo Smith has been found dead in his cell at Perth’s Hakea prison.
Ashley Bropho is accused of luring a nine-year-old girl from a Doubleview park in 2022 with the intent to sexually assault her.
Police said the girl was able to escape when a visitor interrupted the alleged attack and the girl was able to escape.
The West Australian reports that Bropho was beaten to death in the maximum security prison.
A Department of Justice spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that the 40-year-old Aboriginal man was found unconscious in his cell shortly after 8am.
“The prison is assisting in the investigation and two units have been placed on lockdown to assist police,” the Justice Department spokeswoman said.
St John Ambulance paramedics responded to a call at around 8:20am from the maximum security jail in Canning Vale, but Bropho could not be saved.
A “high profile” prisoner has been found dead in his cell at Perth’s Hakea prison, and the jail is closed.
The state-run prison is a men-only facility which the Western Australian government says focuses on “rehabilitation”.
At least four inmates were due to appear via video link in Perth courts, but after the incident, all were cancelled.
More to come.
The man in his 40s is understood to have been beaten to death at the maximum security prison.
