Claremont: The Claremont Serial Killings

After 20 years of hiding in plain sight, sadistic killer and brutal rapist Bradley Edwards will likely never leave jail and die without his freedom, after he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 40 years. If he makes it that long, he will be 88, taking into consideration time served. But that just means in 2060 he can apply for parole, it doesn't mean he'll be released. As Justice Hall revealed his sentence, more than a year since his trial began and almost four years to the day since he was arrested, he told Edwards he would likely die in jail. "You committed these offences as a much younger man and have had the undeserved benefit of your liberty for many years due to the fact that it took many years to identify you as the perpetrator," he said. Those offences, he committed in his 20s, but one of his victims, who was 17 at the time bravely told of how the sadistic rapist's act 25 years ago changed her, but wouldn't define her. Her powerful words left even seasoned police o

Join the Claremont in Conversation team in this special live event at the University of Western Australia. Hear stories never told in court, anecdotes from sitting days and opinions from the journalists who covered the mammoth seven-month trial. You'll also hear some details from Tim Clarke's book, Enigma of the Dark. To get a copy, head to https://subscriber.thewest.com.au/enigmaofthedark?utm_source=TheWest&utm_medium=PromoCard&utm_campaign=ClaremontBookPreOrder&utm_term=order-now&utm_content=Content or find Enigma of the Dark on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Bradley Edwards be allowed to participate in rehabilitation programs in prison? Or should the prison just 'throw away the key'? Legal expert Damien Cripps joins Natalie Bonjolo in this last episode until the sentencing, discussing how Edwards might be sentenced, and answer some of your questions. Damien Cripps said Edwards' sentencing will be a difficult task for Justice Hall, and discusses several avenues of how the prosecution and defence will present their cases to the judge. You've sent in some very interesting questions, and Damien Cripps gives his professional and personal opinion. We'll be back on December 23 when Bradley Edwards is sentenced on The Huntingdale attack, Karrakatta rape, and Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon's murders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former homicide detective Paul Ferguson has put away his fair share of bad guys. The retired police officer was in charge of the MACRO Taskforce when it was created, after Jane Rimmer disappeared in June 1996, but before that, he worked on, and helped catch one of WA's most infamous serial killer couples - David and Catherine Birnie. But the disappearances of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon was one of the cases that not only haunted WA, but many of the police officers who worked it. The retired detective even interviewed the man he put behind bars, David Birnie, to try and get an insight into the mind of a serial killer. He investigated when Sarah Spiers went missing. From the start, it was clear it wasn't just another missing woman. The Spiers family and police were onto it straight away. More than 2,000 posters, 20,000 flyers and 50 buses with Sarah's face were distributed throughout Perth. Police had no idea how she was abducted, or even where she was. The search spanned all over the Perth

Bradley Edwards hid in plain sight for more than two decades, but what he didn’t realise, was that he was just simply hidden, and that meant he could still be found. His DNA was found under Ciara Glennon’s fingernails. She fought for her life, and in that fight, she scratched her killer and hid a part of him to be found by scientists years later. Dr Jonathan Whitaker is the scientist who found a male DNA profile from the microscopic DNA fragments found under Ciara Glennon’s fingernails. His testing and retesting of Ciara’s fingernail samples at FSS in the UK in 2008 was the pivotal turning point in the MACRO investigation. His new method of testing - Low Copy Number - provided the distinctive male profile which later proved to be Edwards. But at the time, he admits its significance was not immediately apparent. Dr Jonathan Whitaker speak to Tim Clarke in this episode of Claremont in Conversation: The Verdict, and tells of when he realised his find was indeed the ‘Eureka moment’ that led police to Bradle

May 7, 1990 was the day that changed Wendy Davis’ life. A social worker at Hollywood Hospital, she was going about her day when Telstra worker and now convicted killer Bradley Edwards attacked her, grabbing her from behind and dragged her back towards some toilets. But she fought him off, and her evidence helped in the conviction of the Claremont Killer. But Wendy Davis is so much more than just “the Hollywood Hospital victim”. After her ordeal, she had to go on with her life, so she buried the traumatic events, until 2016 when detectives called to tell her, the man who attacked her in 1990, they think is the Claremont Serial Killer. In this episode, Wendy bravely tells her story, in her own words. The trauma she experienced, the grief for Sarah, Jane and Ciara’s families, and the anger at Telstra and Edwards is so raw, so emotional, as she tells Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke her experience and why she wants an apology from Telstra, and why she thinks Edwards should have been charged with more than commo

Bradley Edwards will 'never' reveal the location of Sarah Spiers. That’s according to leading forensic anthropologist and criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett. In this episode of Claremont in Conversation: The Verdict, we take you inside the mind of a killer. Joined by forensic DNA expert Brendan Chapman and forensic anthropologist, criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett, our guests analyse Bradley Robert Edwards fits the profile of a psychopath and what makes someone kill. During his police interview, Bradley Edwards was seen to barely show any emotion as he was told about the horrific final moments of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, but when he was asked about his family, he seemed animated. Dr Xanthe Mallett tells the podcast team psychopaths, a group which she included Edwards in, commonly display lack of emotion, but do when they’re triggered. Usually the only people who see those triggers are their victims. The prosecution laid out in the first few months of the trial, their idea of what those triggers could ha

Bradley Robert Edwards killed Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon. Over the last two days, we’ve heard from the families of those two young, vibrant women taken too soon, their grief unimaginable as their daughters’ killer has been unmasked. But for the family of another young and vibrant daughter, sister and friend, yesterday’s verdict came with more heartbreak. The family of Sarah Spiers don’t have closure. They don’t have her body. They’ve never been able to say goodbye. Today, the podcast team are joined by leading barrister Tom Percy QC, who tells us that Justice Hall could have found Bradley Edwards guilty of Sarah Spiers’ murder. A bitter pill to swallow for the West Australian public. The father of Ciara Glennon spoke publicly about the outcome today. He expressed his sorrow for the family of Sarah Spiers, whose body has never been found. Dennis Glennon said he always knew Ciara would fight for her life, but little did he know that her prolific final fight would lead to the massive DNA breakthrough t

The Claremont Killer has been revealed. Bradley Robert Edwards terrorised Perth for two decades, he sparked fear into the hearts of people in Claremont and tore apart families. As WA’s Police Commissioner said outside court today, “Bradley Edwards can now be called for what he is - a brutal rapist and a murderer.” 24 years of heartbreak for the families of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, today, some closure for two of those families. Bradley Edwards was found guilty of killing Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon - shaking his head as the verdict was read out. But it was a bitter-sweet verdict today, as Justice Hall said he couldn’t find, beyond reasonable doubt, that the man who killed Jane and Ciara also killed Sarah Spiers. Police vowing today, they will never stop trying to find her body and they will never stop trying to get answers for her family. Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they digest the verdict that WA has waited 24 years for, and share the outpouring of emoti

Is Bradley Robert Edwards guilty or not guilty? Only one person knows what the answer to that question is, and he’s taken 12 weeks to make it. But on Thursday September 24, the world will find out. Justice Stephen Hall has the weight of two decades of fear, mystery and grief on his shoulders, and in a week, he’ll have eyes of West Australians on him. Claremont In Conversation is back with the biggest moments of the trial of the century, a week out from the verdict. In this bonus episode, Tim Clarke says he’s nervous, and it’s understandable why. A lot of people close to, or invested in this trial are also nervous, because in a week’s time, West Australians will find out if the man standing trial for the last seven months is the Claremont Serial Killer. But it represents much more than a seven-month trial. As we’ve found out over the course of the last few months, the Claremont Serial Killings case never went cold. Police, families and scientists have been working on the case for the last 24 years. It

95 trial days and 95 episodes (plus a few bonus ones) later, WA's trial of the century has officially come to a close. The trial has been harrowing at times, it's been informative and eye-opening, but ultimately heartbreaking for the families and the three women who's lives were tragically taken too soon. So, what happens next? Justice Stephen Hall reserved his judgement until September 24, and will spend the next three months carefully analysing every piece of evidence, every witness statement and every conclusion both the prosecution and defence asked him to make - all to decide if Bradley Robert Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer. In this bonus episode, Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and producer Kate Ryan discuss the trial, how they are feeling following the Australia’s longest running and most expensive criminal investigation, and they’re expecting when the verdict day comes. Thank you to the podcast contributors Damien Cripps, Brendan Chapman and Tom Percy QC, all who gave their time t

Everything’s been said, the evidence is out in the open and now Justice Hall has a massive task ahead of him. After 95 days and more than 200 witnesses, WA’s trial of the century -  the Claremont Serial Killings trial has come to a close, with the defence finishing their closing statement with the words, “A conviction founded on inadequate evidence would not constitute proper closure". Using the final day of his closing statements to focus on the fibre case against his client, Paul Yovich put forward a scenario of contamination theory, that Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon could have picked up the same fibres nine months apart through ‘coincidence’. He also conceded the person who killed Jane also killed Ciara, but  that person wasn’t Bradley Edwards. He also said there’s no evidence that person also abducted and killed Sarah Spiers. Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss the final day of this mammoth trial, and how the victim’s families must be feeling, after the trial of the man

On Day 94 of the trial, and the fourth day of Paul Yovich’s closing statements, the defence focussed on Ciara Glennon’s disappearance. The court had previously been told the night the she disappeared, the accused Claremont Serial Killer Bradley Edwards was supposed to be in Dawesville seeing friends, but didn’t show up until the next morning. Those friends told the court the reason he gave for his lateness was because he was ‘trying to reconcile with his wife’. The prosecution say that night he killed Ciara Glennon and dumped her body in Eglington. But the defence put up a different reason - those witness’s memories were inaccurate and Bradley Edwards was actually breaking up with his girlfriend. But that girlfriend, who gave evidence on day 4 of the trial (titled Ex Wife and Sex Lives for a catch up) said he broke up with her in April, telling her he’d met someone else. The court heard he met his second wife on April 1. Justice Hall was quick with questions and queries for Paul Yovich, telling the defe

Paul Yovich told the court Sarah Spiers was the victim of a grave crime, but Bradley Edwards didn’t commit that crime. Making sure to tell the court he didn’t “intend to trivialise Ms Spiers’ death, or disrespect her. Quite the contrary.” He told the court Sarah Spiers was the victim of a grave crime, ‘a blameless victim’. The 18-year-old called for a taxi at 2.06am in the early hours of January 27, 1996. A taxi arrived three minutes later, but she was gone, and was never seen again. Previous witnesses have told Mr Edwards was at work early the next morning. Paul Yovich said logic dictates that it couldn’t be possible for Bradley Edwards could have killed Sarah Spiers, because it would have left just a six-hour window for him to kill and dispose of his victim, then arrive at work at 7.30 the next morning. But another witness, who kept journals, told the court Mr Edwards may have got to work later that morning. As far as what he did the night before, Alison Fan describes in this episode that Paul Yovich

The defence told court today that Bradley Edwards did not intend to kill his rape victim. That he planned his attack carefully and carried it out efficiently, but murder was not in that plan. During their closing statements, the prosecution said the Telstra worker intended to kill his rape victim, but was spooked by a passing security officer, dumped his victim in the bushes and left with the intention of coming back to finish his crime. But the rape victim, who had pretended to be unconscious, ran for help when she realised her attacker was gone. She said in one of her statements to police in the days after the attack, she thought she was going to die. As Tim Clarke explains in this episode, for the victim, who was in court, today would have been difficult to hear her account of the terrifying attack being scrutinised. Paul Yovich stressed that they weren’t questioning her account of what happened, and as Tim Clarke says he seemed sympathetic to the fact it was a very serious crime. But his argument was

In this episode, the Claremont in Conversation podcast team are joined by leading Perth criminal QC Tom Percy, who weighs in on the defence case, or lack of, and the seemingly new information which came out in the closing statements. In relation to the defence’s case, Tom Percy said, “You find your answer in the prosecution case, not necessarily in your own case.” During his second day of closings, Paul Yovich focussed on the PathWest practises, cleaning regimes and the 10 proven contamination events. Including one event, in which the DNA from a victim of a completely different case was found on a sample from one of the Claremont victims - a branch which was found on top of Jane Rimmer’s body. It’s led the team to wonder if the defence has placed enough doubt into the case. Another doubt the defence aimed to raise was also about the injuries on Ciara Glennon, namely the broken left thumbnail which the prosecution says was when Ciara scratched her attacker, helping produce the male DNA profile which they

The final words of prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo as she wrapped up 7 months of evidence left Tim Clarke saying she believed she could say with authority: "Physical evidence can't be intimidated and it can't forget.” "It sits there and it waits to be preserved, detected, evaluated and examined.” "And it's that forensic evidence which - surrounded and supported by the evidence of the witnesses - has cast light on and unmasked the killer sought by so many and for so long.” "That evidence, all of that circumstantial evidence in this case, is not tricky. In fact, if you look at the mountain of circumstantial evidence collectively, cumulatively and dispassionately.”   "There is no evidence, there is no evidence - when looked at in the context of all evidence - which is inconsistent with the accused man being the murderer of these three women.” "The state's process of reasoning finding pathways to guilt are based on logic and the evidence. It is difficult to argue against logic.” "The evidence leads to one of

Ruthless, efficient, calculating. That’s how prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo described Bradley Edwards when recapping the crimes he’s alleged to have committed, as well as the ones he’s admitted to. She said his MO was to be prepared to take any opportunity, and that he would create those opportunities by driving around Claremont. Did the person who killed Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon take trophies from their bodies? Jane Rimmer was found naked, her clothes have never been found. Ciara Glennon was missing her jacket, shoes and bag - those have never been found either. That was one of the many questions raised by the prosecution on the third day of their closing statements. Justice Hall also posed a lot of questions, but to the prosecutor. He queried the evidence around RH17, as well as questioning her statement from the day before, that Mr Edwards intended to kill the Karrakatta rape victim, which led Alison Fan in this episode to query whether Justice Hall was playing devil’s advocate. The lead prosecuto

A disturbing and graphic picture of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s final hours was painted to the court on the second full day of the prosecution’s closing statements. Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo told the court it was likely Ciara Glennon was overpowered by her attacker and forced into the foothold of the car. That’s how those fibres got into her hair. For the first time, it was also revealed that RH17 - the pristine hair sample was found already cut at Ciara Glennon’s crime scene - another disturbing revelation, that the hair had been cut during the attack on Ciara which killed her. The prosecutor also rebuffed the fibre contamination theories, calling them ‘preposterous’, almost adding humour into the scenarios which would have had to have played out for one of the defence’s contamination theories to hold up. One of her theories she says holds up, is Mr Edwards’ previous, admitted crimes, or the propensity evidence of attacking lone women - the Huntingdale, Hollywood Hospital and Karrakatta attacks. S

Without any distractions or delays, Day 87 of WA’s trial of the century began. Bradley Edwards’ DNA was found with Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples because she fought for her life, scratching or gouging at her attacker moments before her death. That was according to the prosecution during closing statements. The prosecution told the court Bradley Edwards’ DNA was preserved under Ciara Glennon’s fingernails, after she tried to fight off her attacker - shown through defensive wounds to her arms and broken fingernails - and that DNA survived for 19 days under her fingernails out in the elements in bushland off Pipdinny road in Eglington. In what’s been described as a recap of ‘the greatest hits’ of the mammoth trial, the prosecution looked to counter every theory of contamination put forward by the defence. The closing statements detailed how it would be virtually impossible for Bradley Edwards’ DNA could have been found with Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples through contamination. The prosecutor also de