CLAREMONT: The Trial

Latest Episodes:

S2Bonus Episode: Day in the Life of a Court Reporter Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

Between them, veteran 7NEWS journalist and The West’s legal affairs editor Tim Clarke have decades of court reporting experience behind them.

They’ve covered everything from murder, dodgy politicians, bikies and everything in between.

But this case is as big as they come.

Tim Clarke has followed the case in the courts since Bradley Edwards was arrested three years ago, and Alison Fan has followed the case since the very beginning, and even helped search for the Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, now she’s seeing it through to the end, whatever that will be.

The two experienced court reporters reveal what it’s like doing their job, from the good and bad exciting and dull.

In this bonus episode, join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they give you a behind the scenes look into a day in the life of a court reporter.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E54: DNA Debacle Feb 28, 2020

Show notes

The details of just how widespread contamination was in DNA testing for the Claremont Serial Killer case was detailed on day 54.

At least seven exhibits were found to have been contaminated, six with the DNA of the very scientists analysing them, and one with the DNA of a victim of a completely unrelated crime.

The details of how the contamination occurred were laid out by PathWest scientist Scott Egan, who himself is one of the contributors of the contamination.

It’s, as Tim Clarke says in this episode, an embarrassing day for the prosecution.

Joined by criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps, Natalie and Tim discuss what this bombshell evidence means for the prosecution’s case, and what they would have to do next to gain back legal ground.

The question remains however, so what? These exhibits aren’t the crucial samples the the prosecution say contained Bradley Edwards’ DNA, why is this important?

The podcast team discuss this question, and answer some of your listener questions too.

If you have a question for the podcast team or any of their guests, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au, and for more on the Claremont Serial Killings trial, head to thewest.com.au or watch 7NEWS 6pm weeknights (AWST) or on Facebook.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E53: The Random Test that Changed the Investigation Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

It was the random testing of a silk kimono in 2016, which led police to their breakthrough in Australia’s most expensive and longest running investigation, and the dramatic arrest of Bradley Robert Edwards.

Today, on day 53, the scientist who tested that kimono took the stand.

Scott Egan, who was a scientist at Pathwest in 2016, told the court the kimono, which was taken out of storage by a cold case police officer, was tested by him on November 23, 2016.

The silk kimono was left behind during a break-in, and attack on a teenager while she slept in her Huntingdale home in 1988. Earlier in the trial, the court heard Edwards snuck into the woman’s bedroom on Valentine’s day, crept onto her bed and pinned her down while placing something in her mouth.

Bradley Edwards has pleaded guilty to the attack.

Scott Egan not only gave evidence today, he was also the subject of another witness’s cross examination. His colleague Andrew McDonald was forced to name him, along with three other scientists who contaminated samples from Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

During that cross examination, an unusual case of contamination was brought up by the defence, except it had nothing to do with MACRO exhibits, and happened in the UK.

In this episode, Tim Clarke questions why the prosecution didn’t jump up to object, and what this evidence could mean to the trial.

Join Tim, along with Natalie Bonjolo and Alison Fan as they discuss day 53.

If you have any questions for the podcast team, or any of their guests, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au and for more on the Claremont Serial Killings trial, head to thewest.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Getting "That" Shot Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

Whenever there’s a big event, there’s bound to be news crews. That was no exception when police descended on the accused Claremont Serial Killer’s house on December 22, 2016.

But unlike now, those news crews had no idea just how big that raid would be. With special guests, veteran 7NEWS cameramen Ray Raab and The West Australian photographer Justin Benson-Cooper joining Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke, they discuss, even when the opposition got a shot of ‘a man’ being taken away by police from his house, they had no idea what they were looking at.

As the day progressed, rumours started to swirl. Rumours turned into questions and then scrambling by news houses across the state.

It was the biggest story WA had ever seen. Did police catch the Claremont Serial Killer? We still won’t find out for another few months as the trial continues.

Reporters, camera operators and photographers had one chance at getting a shot of the man arrested for one of the most infamous crimes in WA history.

As Justin and Ray relive the day they stayed out until 4am to get “that” shot of Bradley Edwards being driven to police lockup after a six-hour interview with police. The preparation, the nerves, the 10 seconds of action.

In this bonus episode, the podcast team talk the massive police operation, the confusion which led to shock and captured the attention of the state.

Join the team again on Thursday as court resumes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E52: The Day Police Swooped In Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

December 22, 2016. The day police had hoped for, for more than 20 years. That was the day they arrested the man they thought was Claremont serial killer. Bradley Robert Edwards. As he was arrested in the early morning raid and taken for questioning, police spent 2 days sifting through every item in his house. What they found was a handwritten notebook with copies of bank statements inside.
The court has previously been told that notebook belong to Bradley Edwards' second wife. She said she copied the bank statements because she was sick of the lies and she feared for her life.
It was also revealed on day 52 of the Claremont serial killings trial that police sifted through every copy of the Mandurah Mail between 1995 and 1996 to see if there were any fireworks in the area the night Sarah Spiers disappeared.
Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss that moment which changed Australia's most expensive and longest running investigation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E51: "The DNA Doesn't Lie" Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

THAT moment, the phone call which changed the Claremont Serial Killings investigation after almost two decades of nothing, was described by the police officer, that took the call from UK scientists who said male DNA had been found with Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples.

That officer was former head of MACRO, Jim Stanbury, who took the stand today.

What followed the call would change the whole investigation. Police no longer had to rely on alibis or witnesses.

The DNA doesn’t lie, and if the person of interest didn’t match the male DNA found, they weren’t considered a suspect anymore.

That’s how the man police suspected for almost a decade of being the Claremont Serial Killer - Lance Williams - was cleared.

Day 51 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial also revealed the other high profile cases which police had sent tp the UK.

We’d previously heard about the Gerard Ross murder case, but the FSS also tested exhibits from one of WA’s most high profile murder cases in recent history, the murder of Corryn Rayney, as well as a double homicide which ended up in a conviction - which Justice Hall himself sentenced.

We found out this because Det Sgt Stanbury had to fly to the UK to collect the exhibits when the FSS was shut down.

In this episode, Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and forensic DNA expert Brendan Chapman discuss why the UK state lab, which helped in the breakthrough for WA police, was shut down, “The CSI effect”, and the moment of relief for investigators of the Claremont case. We also answer some of your questions.

If you have any questions for the podcast team, or any of their guests, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E50: Panic as Exhibits 'Go Missing' Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

When Claremont exhibits were sent over the to the UK for expert low copy number testing, the exhibits which are now seen as crucial to the prosecution’s case - Ciara Glennon’s fingernails - went missing.

It turns out they were never ‘missing’, just separated from the other exhibits and placed in a fridge for storage.

As Tim Clarke explains, there must have been a sense panic that went through that lab in the time the exhibits were thought to be missing.

The scientists didn’t know just how important these fingernails would be to the case at that time, because they hadn’t yet been tested.

But what they did have with them, that were considered important at the time, were samples from multiple ‘people of interest’ to the case, which they planned to test against the Claremont samples.

As the Claremont Serial Killings trial entered its 50th day, another cold case which gripped WA was in the headlines again, just over two years since a conviction was made.

But today, that conviction of Francis Wark was overturned. He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 17-year-old WA teenager Hayley Dodd in 1999. Hayley’s body was never found.

Tim Clarke says this raises questions in the case of Sarah Spiers.

The Claremont in Conversation podcast team discuss what, if any implications this could have on the Claremont case.

If you want to know more about the Hayley Dodd case, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/court-justice/francis-john-wark-to-face-re-trial-for-murder-of-hayley-dodd-after-conviction-quashed-on-appeal-ng-b881468701z

If you have any questions for the podcast team, or any of their guests, send them in to claremonpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E49: Court Room Clash Feb 20, 2020

Show notes

The two lead lawyers on WA’s mammoth case have been working for 49 days and nights every day of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

After 49 days, it seemed - as The West’s Emily Moulton pointed out in this episode - that they were getting tired.

As the day was drawing to a close, a new witness, from the MACRO Taskforce took the stand. Just as soon as Senior Sergeant George Paton started his evidence, defence lawyer Paul Yovich objected, which led to a 20-minute legal argument between him and the lead prosecutor.

Eventually, Justice Hall said he would ‘lock them in a room together’ so they could sort it out, which they eventually did.

Outside of courtroom clashes, during UK witness Carole Evans’ cross examination, it was revealed hairs found on Ciara Glennon’s body were also sent to be tested in the UK - in fact, these samples were considered more important than the fingernails at the time.

It was found that the hairs from 10 people including Ciara were found, but after comparison with those hairs against some taken from Bradley Edwards after his arrest, none of them matched the accused Claremont Serial Killer.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton as they discuss the late sitting of day 48, as well as day 49’s proceedings.

If you have any questions for the podcast team, or any of their guests, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E48: How the UK Helped Break WA’s Cold Case Feb 19, 2020

Show notes

In 2008, exhibits from Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon were sent for testing in a state-of-the-art lab in the UK.

Paperwork attached to the samples left no questions about what they were investigating:

“The three women are believed to have fallen victim to a serial killer”.

When the samples got to the Forensic Science Service, they were tested in an air-tight lab, which was known as the clean room. We heard anyone who left the ‘clean’ room and became ‘dirty’, they weren’t allowed back in, the lengths that the scientists went to, to try and stop contamination was detailed in court by FSS scientist Carole Evans, who travelled to Perth to appear in court.

The court had previously been told samples from another WA case were sent along with the Claremont Serial Killings samples.

Today we found out samples in the investigation of the suspected murder of an 11-year-old boy were also sent to the UK. See the investigation of the disappearance of Gerard Ross at https://thewest.com.au/features/gerard-ross

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they discuss what’s to come for the late sitting, answer some of your questions and discuss the relationship between the court and the media.

Tune in tomorrow to hear evidence from the two other UK scientists, who are giving evidence via video link during the night.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E47: The Blood-Stained Brick Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

It’s been revealed a blood-stained brick was found near Ciara Glennon’s body in Eglington in 1997.

A stray bundle of hair was also found in a boot two weeks after her body was found, and tested against her samples.

Why are we hearing about this now? These were part of an email chain between forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius and police.

The brick, in particular, was labelled as high on the WA police priority list for DNA testing at PathWest.

But what we haven't found out - is what significance, if any, these pieces of evidence will hold in the trial moving forward.

As Tim Clarke explains in this episode, the defence seem to have been painting a picture of a lab under pressure.

But on his final day on the stand, Mr Bagdonavivius insisted quality was priority over speed.

He did, however admit to human error, as it was revealed at least one of the blank samples sent with Ciara Glennon’s fingernails to New Zealand, which were found to have been contaminated with a female DNA other than Ciara, did come from PathWest.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison fan as they recap day 47, and look ahead at what’s expected to be a very important next few days, as scientists from the UK - who tested Ciara Glennon’s fingernails in 2008 and found a male DNA profile - which the prosecution says matches the DNA found with the Karrakatta rape victim, which is Bradley Edwards.

If you have any questions for the podcast team, or any of their guests send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected