CLAREMONT: The Trial

S2E103: THE SENTENCING: 'Coward' Edwards likely to die in prison Dec 23, 2020

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 officers holding back tears.

“the definition of a coward," The Karrakatta victim said.

“He preyed on weak, vulnerable young women who didn’t stand a chance."

“How pathetic. It has been much easier in terms of impact to realise there was no evil genius at work here, he slipped through the cracks because he is unremarkable.”

"And now I will leave this behind. I will leave this courtroom and finally go and live my life without you in it. I will live it joyously, respectfully and gratefully for myself, my family and for the lives that were lost. I will live and you won’t."

"And as one of the victims of your crimes, I hope you are treated as well in prison as you have treated us."

Even though he didn't give a life without parole sentence, Lee Rimmer, Jane's sister said he was happy, and WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson spoke for a community.

“It is my sincere hope, for the sake of the victims, for the sake of the families and friends and indeed for the safety of our community, that Edwards will never be released from prison,” Mr Dawson said.

In this final podcast, Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Damien Cripps digest, analyse and take in the sentence - and the case that's gripped the state for more than two decades.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Enigma of the Dark: Claremont the Trial LIVE Dec 01, 2020

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.

S2E102: How Long Could Edwards Stay Behind Bars? Oct 12, 2020

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.

S2E101: Inside the MACRO Taskforce Oct 06, 2020

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 region, from Black Wall Reach, to Midland, to Serpentine Falls. Sarah had disappeared without a trace.

In this podcast, Paul Ferguson reveals where he thinks Sarah Spiers is.

Five months after the 18-year-old disappeared, he recalls the call he took, the call that police knew was coming, but were dreading. Another woman had gone missing.

"The fact that we didn't know how that Sarah had been abducted, the fact that there'd been no commotion and the fact that her body hadn't been found was of major concern through the inquiry team and WA Police. And then of course the worst thing that could have happened was another girl go missing from the same area," he told the Claremont in Conversation podcast team.

He admitted the disappearance of Ciara Glennon was a blur, because the investigation had become so intense.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and special guests former head of MACRO Paul Ferguson and former WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan as they take you inside Australia's longest running and most expensive murder investigation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E100: Dr DNA: The Man Behind the Breakthrough Sep 30, 2020

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 Bradley Edwards.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E99: The Hollywood Hospital Victim: In Her Own Words Sep 29, 2020

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 common assault.

Wendy left the job she loved after the attack, the trauma was too much. But Edwards got to keep his job.

In telling her story, Wendy said she feels like it’s been therapeutic. She said she even started jotting down her thoughts into a book, which she admitted may, or may not ever see the light of day, but detail her experiences with the attack, and the resurgence of trauma.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke as they speak to Wendy Davis about the attack which eventually linked Edwards’ name to the crimes at Huntingdale, and the DNA found from the Karrakatta rape victim and Ciara Glennon’s murder.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E98: Inside the Mind of a Killer Sep 28, 2020

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 have been - emotional upsets - the ‘third wheel’ that moved into Edwards’ and his first wife’s home, her affair with the third wheel, the pregnancy and the sale of their marital home.

As Tim Clarke explains, the prosecution abandoned this theory towards the end of the trial, but he believed it wasn’t because they didn’t think it was accurate anymore, rather, their DNA case was strong enough without it.

Before a body was even found, and WA realised there was a killer roaming the streets of Claremont, police had already made links between the disappearance of the Karrakatta rape victim, Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer, and that was through the forensic process of victimology.

But even with a police investigation linking the disappearance of Sarah Spiers and the murders of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, without a body, Justice Hall didn’t find there was enough evidence to convict Edwards of her murder too.

Brendan Chapman explains why, even if a miracle happens, and Sarah Spiers’ remains are found, while it would be extremely hard to find any evidence from it, it wouldn’t be impossible - although most of it would still be circumstantial.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke, Brendan Chapman and Xanthe Mallett as they try and delve inside the mind of a killer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E97: The Verdict Analysis with Tom Percy Sep 25, 2020

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 that would eventually catch her killer.

Despite the police and PathWest errors, Dennis Glennon said he and his family have no criticisms of detectives or scientists.

In this episode, Tom Percy said we must never forget the errors of police, and what has previously been called ‘tunnel vision’ by MACRO detectives in following Lance Williams for years.

Join the Claremont in Conversation team as they analyse the verdict, and have a lively discussion about the possibility of appeals, double jeopardy and Tom Percy’s opinion on why Edwards seemed to show little emotion throughout his trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E96: Justice delivered: THE VERDICT Sep 24, 2020

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 emotion that’s swept through the state in the wake of the verdict.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: The Moment of Truth upon Us Sep 17, 2020

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 was a trial that was so important, not even a global pandemic could stop it, a trial that will literally stop traffic, when road works going on outside the court will stop for day.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they take you through what to expect next week and what it will mean for judicial history after it’s all over.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

If you’re new to the Claremont podcast, or want a trial refresher, head to our JUMP IN NOW episodes to hear a detailed run through of the evidence.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: What's Next? Jun 26, 2020

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 to help us understand the concepts of the trial and the complicated science.

And a massive thank you to The West Australian’s Emily Moulton, who worked tirelessly for 95 days live blogging every moment of the trial, without which a daily podcast would have been a lot harder to put together.

Catch up on the Claremont Serial Killings trial at thewest.com.au and stay tuned to the Claremont in Conversation podcast for more bonus episodes over the next few months.

For those wanting more on WA’s trial of the century, The West Australian has released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E95: It’s Up to Justice Hall Now Jun 25, 2020

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 accused of the murders more than two decades ago.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E94: The Closing Statements: A New Alibi Jun 24, 2020

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 defence lawyer that didn’t make sense.

As Tim Clarke and Alison Fan discuss in this episode, when Bradley Edwards broke up with that girlfriend, he told her the name of the woman he was leaving her for. If that happened in March, it would have been a premonition.

Paul Yovich also questioned why, if he did it, he would drive more than 100 kilometres out of his way to dump a body - to which Justice Hall quickly replied that if he did it, he probably wanted to distance himself from the crime scene as much as possible.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss the questions Paul Yovich brought up surrounding Ciara Glennon’s disappearance.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E93: The Closing Statements: Mr Edwards ‘Should be Acquitted’ of Killing Sarah Jun 23, 2020

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 was quite blunt in some of his statements around Bradley Edwards’ the night Sarah disappeared, saying “We don’t know and you can’t speculate” and “You can’t fix the evidence to fit the case.”

He asked, why would he choose that night above all others? And as we know, the prosecution have abandoned the emotional turmoil evidence, which the state had previously relied on, saying that Bradley Edwards was abandoned by his first wife, who had left him for another man, that night she rejected him.

But that evidence can’t be used anymore.

Bradley Edwards’ defence lawyer questioned the timeline the prosecution mapped out for how they say Sarah disappeared.

In the early hours of January 27, 1996, Sarah Spiers made a phone call from a phone box in Claremont, to go to Mosman Park at 2.06am. 3 minutes later, the taxi arrived but she was gone.

Mosman Park resident, Wayne Stewart gave evidence that he heard a woman’s blood-curdling scream at around 3am that same morning, and he saw a car under a street light.

Mr Yovich pointed out that Mosman Park is around a 10-minute drive from Claremont, but the screams were heard at around 3am - around an hour after Sarah was last seen.

He also said Justice Hall could not find that this evidence could prove that the screams came from Sarah, or that the car belonged to Bradley Edwards.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they dissect the fourth day of the defence’s closing statements.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E92: The Closing Statements: “If He Wanted to Kill Her, She’d be Dead” Jun 22, 2020

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 Bradley Edwards is a sexually motivated attacker, but not a murderer.

The third day of the defence’s closing argument focussed on trying to prove just that, why the Karrakatta rape and the murders are different - through attempting to pick apart the fibre evidence, witness statements and the prosecution’s propensity evidence.

Namely, that the Karrakatta rape victim was not killed after her horrific ordeal. Defence lawyer Paul Yovich also pointed to differences in the circumstances surrounding the rape and the murders.

He told the court the Karrakatta rape victim was abducted in a ‘blitz-style attack’, whereas the prosecution say at least Jane Rimmer and Ciara Rimmer were lured into the car, and there was no evidence that Jane or Ciara were sexually assaulted, however, the court was previously told because of the level of decomposition of their bodies, while there was no evidence of sexual assault, that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

The two cases, now poles apart tell two very different stories. As Damien Cripps explains, this would be an extremely difficult task for Justice Hall to undertake, especially when evidence used by the prosecution, the Telstra Living Witness project was seen by the defence as a weakness to the prosecution, rather than strengthening their case.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they discuss day 92 of the Claremont Serial Killings Trial.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E91: The Closing Statements: “If the DNA Evidence isn’t Proven, the Whole Case Falls Over” Jun 19, 2020

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 say is Bradley Edwards.

Paul Yovich produced several other scenarios in relation to how her thumb nail was damaged.

But with this, and other topics, Justice Hall was ready to clarify with questions, which included a suggestion that the defence had evidence Bradley Edwards was with a girlfriend the night Ciara Glennon disappeared.

The court had previously been told Mr Edwards was supposed to travel down to Dawesville on March 14 to stay with friends, but didn’t arrive until late the next morning. The people he was supposed to stay with gave evidence, saying he told them he was trying to reconcile with his first wife, who said during her time on the stand that a reconciliation was never attempted.

Justice Hall told Paul Yovich he would be asking some questions about that when court resumes on Monday.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Tom Percy QC as they discuss day 91 of the Claremont Serial Killings Trial.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E90: The Closing Statements: "Bradley Robert Edwards, we say, is the Claremont serial killer.” Jun 18, 2020

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 offender being responsible for the murders of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.”

"Bradley Robert Edwards, we say, is the Claremont serial killer.”

Then, the defence took their turn.

Immediately saying rather than looking at the bigger picture, Justice Hall should look to each detail with his opening words:

"When we do get bogged down (in detail) we lose sight of the bigger picture,"

"What the defence says is we must pay attention to the detail, not just the fibre evidence but every aspect of the case and not gloss over anything that doesn't fit the case theory."

Defence lawyer Paul Yovich honed in on what the defence said was the state’s key piece of evidence - Ciara Glennon’s left thumbnail, labelled by scientists AJM40. That fingernail was never tested before 2008, and when combined with AJM42, another of Ciara’s fingernails, found the male DNA profile the prosecution says is Bradley Edwards.

The defence said they aren’t disputing the DNA is Bradley Edwards, they’re disputing how his DNA was found with Ciara’s fingernail samples.

The prosecution says it was because Ciara fought for her life, scratching her attacker. The defence says contamination with samples that are known to have Bradley Edwards’ DNA - the Karrakatta rape victim samples.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they analyse the final closings of the prosecution, and the start of the defence’s.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E89: The Closing Statements: When Preparation met Opportunity Jun 17, 2020

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 prosecutor today took the court through the 10 reasons why they say Bradley Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

That included the DNA and fibre evidence, but also the similarities in Jane and Ciara’s disappearances, injuries and discoveries, and the fact Bradley Edwards had abducted and raped a teenager from the Claremont area the year before Sarah Spiers disappeared.

Sarah Spiers was mentioned during the closing statements, which Justice Hall vigorously questioned, saying he needed to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that Edwards was her abductor, and questioned the timeline.

The prosecutor said the only way Justice Hall could find Bradley Edwards killed Sarah Spiers is if he first found that he killed Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, which Tim Clarke called ‘reverse propensity’.

However, Alison Fan said in this episode whatever the outcome of this trial, the ordeal won’t be over for the Spiers family, because Sarah’s body has never been found.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss the beginning of the end of WA’s trial of the century.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E88: The Closing Statements: Was he just a Rapist, or a Rapist and a Murderer? Jun 16, 2020

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. She even went as far as saying while Mr Edwards didn’t kill the Karrakatta rape victim, he intended to, but was somehow disturbed, left the scene and came back to kill his victim who he thought was unconscious.

The prosecution will finish up their mammoth 88-day case tomorrow as their closings are expected end, leaving the defence to start their closing statements.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they take you through the details of Australia’s longest running and most expensive murder investigation, and the new revelations that have come out, even during closings.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E87: The Closing Statements: The DNA Points to Him Jun 15, 2020

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 detailed how similarities in fibres found on the victims could show that the person who raped the teenager at Karrakatta cemetery also killed Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

The prosecution say that person was Bradley Robert Edwards.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they take you through the start of the prosecution’s closing statements in WA’s trial of the century.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E86: "When the Normal Meets the Abnormal”: The Closings Begin Jun 09, 2020

The lead prosecutor - looking under the weather soldiered on during the beginning of her closing statements on day 86 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, but it didn’t last long - just an hour, in fact.

As Tim Clarke said, the only thing in worse health than Carmel Barbagallo was the video link.

As it cut out an hour into her closings, the screen went black, and the court was delayed again.

But in the hour the lead prosecutor was delivering her statement, she outlined the 25 reasons why she says she can prove Bradley Robert Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

They came in four key areas - DNA, clothing fibres, car fibres and propensity - The similar crimes of the Karrakatta rape in 1995 and Huntingdale attack in 1998, which Bradley Edwards has pleaded guilty too.

In front of a packed court room, which included all of the three victims’ families and well as the Karrakatta rape victim and the Huntingdale attack victim, as well as Mr Edwards’ parents, prosecutor Tara Payne asked for the trial to be adjourned again until Monday - to allow for Ms Barbagallo to get better.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss day 86 of the Claremont Serial killings trial.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2“Public Health Concern” Delays Trial Resumption Jun 08, 2020

On the day that was supposed to see the closing statements of WA’s trial of the century to begin, an 11th-hour decision was made to delay proceedings for 24-hours, due to sickness.

As Tim Clarke explains in this episode, the WA Courts said a “public health concern” was the reason for the delay.

It’s believed it was the lead prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo who was unwell, however, that hasn’t been confirmed.

If that is the case, Claremont in Conversation resident defence lawyer Damien Cripps said any lawyer needs to be in the best condition possible to be able to deliver their case to its full potential.

And after all, we’re no longer being told to ‘soldier on’ through sickness in any workplace. The message now - if you’re sick, stay home.

As the accused parents waited inside court and around 30 members of the public were queuing outside this morning, they were told court wouldn’t be happening.

The decision so last-minute, even the accused Bradley Edwards had been transported from Casuarina prison to attend his trial.

So far, court is due to resume on Tuesday for day 86, where the closing statements of the prosecution are expected to begin.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they discuss today’s events, and answer some of your listener questions.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Remembering Jane Jun 05, 2020

Jane Rimmer was a happy, vibrant 23-year-old childcare worker, just starting out in life.

She loved her family, her friends, and she liked to have a good time with them.

And it was on June 8, 1996 that she decided to go out to have a few drinks with her friends in Claremont. That was the last night she was seen alive.

Claremont was the safe, opulent, go-to place for young people in Perth in the 90s. 18-year-old Sarah Spiers had disappeared from the streets of Claremont just five months previously, but that didn't stop hundreds of people flocking to the nightspot that June night.

We saw Jane's last known movements through CCTV vision. As Tim Clarke explains in this bonus episode, the haunting image of Jane's now elderly mother watching her daughter, forever 23 through grainy CCTV vision in court stuck with him.

Sarah Spiers' disappearance was a tragic time for Perth and her family, but it wasn't until Jane Rimmer disappeared that the words serial killer started to echo throughout the city.

Then, when her body was discovered 55 days later in bushland more than 40 kilometres from Claremont, that the police, and Perth's worst fears were realised.

The missing persons case became a murder.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan in this bonus episode as they remember Jane Rimmer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E85: The Case End May 06, 2020

“Brace yourself, Bradley,” is what Detective Senior Sergeant Joe Marrapodi said to Bradley Edwards during the final part of his police interview.

He was telling Mr Edwards to brace himself, because they had the DNA results back - from a swab he gave to detectives around 12 hours earlier.

“The expert scientists have now come back to us to confirm your DNA is a positive match,” Set Snr Sgt Marrapodi said.

It was also the first time we’ve see any emotion from Bradley Edwards, when he was told his DNA matched that found on Ciara Glennon, the Karrakatta rape victim, and the kimono found from the Huntingdale attack.

Following that, he was shown photos from the room in which the Huntingdale attack happened, the Karrakatta rape victim, and most poignantly - a photo of Ciara Glennon.

He was then he appeared to be starkly aware of what he was accused of - rape and murder.

These were some of the final pieces of evidence the court heard before it seemed to end, to the surprise of the public, and the podcast team.

It took 85 days for the prosecution to lay out its case against Bradley Edwards, the man they say is the Claremont Serial Killer.

The defence’s case took mere minutes.

Their only exhibit tendered into evidence, A city of Gosnells maximum temperatures list for 1996.

And that was the end of their case.

As expected by the podcast team throughout the course of the trial, Bradley Edwards will not take the stand in his own defence.

In another shock, for the last 5 months, the prosecution has argued that particular, emotionally upsetting events in Bradley Edwards life corresponded with the disappearances of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

Today, the prosecution abandoned that theory.

The emotional upset case will no longer be taken into account.

With Bradley Edwards confirming he will not take the stand, the court will now adjourn for more than 4 weeks, returning on June 8, coincidentally, a day etched into the minds of those following the case, the day Jane Rimmer disappeared.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E84: The Police Interview May 05, 2020

Day 84 was the day the court heard directly from Bradley Edwards, through his police interview, recorded after his arrest in 2016.

Today, we heard his response, as he was told he was accused as being the Claremont Serial Killer.

“I just want to go to sleep and to wake up and for this to all be a bad dream.”

Those were the words spoken by Bradley Edwards, his head in his hands as he as being questioned by police following his arrest in 2016.

It was the first time anyone has heard from the accused man during this trial, and the public, despite coronavirus restrictions, seemed to want to see the interview for themselves - the court packed, in scenes not seen since the first few days of this mammoth trial more than 5 months ago.

Detective senior sergeant Joe Marrapodi took the stand, he was one of two detectives who interviewed Bradley Edwards on the day of his arrest.

In handcuffs, sitting on the floor of his house, Joe Marrapodi told how he approached Mr Edwards, then police began recording video, and that was the start of a six and a half hour interview with the man they believe is the Claremont Serial Killer.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan, with the help of reporter Josh Garlepp as they take you through the police interview WA has waited more than five months for.

Hear what Bradley Edwards had to say in this episode of Claremont in Conversation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E83: “The Most Significant Piece of Evidence the Prosecution is Going to Bring” May 04, 2020

In this episode, the podcast team look ahead into the evidence which has been anticipated for weeks - Bradley Edwards police interview - which Damien Cripps said gives ‘shivers down his spine’ in anticipation of the video to be played to the court, and is expected to be “the most significant piece of evidence the prosecution is going to bring”.

That video is expected to be played tomorrow.

While we’re still waiting for the police interview to be played, Day 83 saw a piece of evidence that was hotly objected by defence lawyer Paul Yovich - before the evidence was even heard.

The statistics on unsolved murders and missing persons in WA was deemed ‘irrelevant’ by the defence, but despite that, the prosecution was allowed to proceed by Justice Hall.

The court was told that police found more than 1500 unsolved cases including murders, attempted murders, dangerous driving causing deaths between 1994 and 1997.

When they filtered those down by suburb, six unsolved murders were in the Western Suburbs, which includes Claremont. Three of those have had suspects who have been charged, convicted and acquitted.

The only three left over were Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

The court also heard a similar process was performed on long-term missing persons cases in WA.

Now the fibre evidence has finished, the prosecution read in several witness statements.

One of those was yet another woman has recounted a disturbing and frightening encounter with a white car around the Claremont area in the mid-90s.

She had been walking home alone after walking from Claremont to Cottesloe - around a 20-minute walk - when she said a white car stalked her, including following her on the footpath at one point.

She said shows very frightened, and ran across the road to the medium strip, where she

As discussed in this episode, it’s not to say that these events are directly related to Bradley Edwards, but as Tim Clarke discusses, the prosecution has been allowed to tell these witness’ stories to ‘paint a picture’ of what was happening, and the feeling around the area in the 90s.

Other witness statements included former FBI agents, scientists and police officers.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E82: Claremont "Too Much Trouble" For Cab Drivers May 02, 2020

As the court waited for a reasonable time in the UK to video call Dr Ray Palmer for his final day giving evidence, two witness statements were read into the court.

One of them was from a former Perth taxi driver, who said he avoided Claremont, and preferred to drive in Northbridge because Claremont was 'too much trouble', that people were often very drunk and disorderly.

He was one of the cab drivers who drove a cab number that WA Police specifically looked into. In this Podcast, The West's Emily Moulton explains why his specific cab number was looked into.

In another witness, a cold case detective revealed he was tasked with searching through old TV guides to find episodes of the X-Files.

Earlier in the trial, Edwards' first wife and the man who went on to become her lover, bonded over watching the x-files together, and to corroborate those claims, detectives had to see if the x-files was actually shown on the TV in the 90s - which he found they were.

When Dr Ray Palmer was called later in the evening, defence Lawyer Paul Yovich finished his cross examination with the fibre expert, where he grilled him on his findings of when he thought fibres may have got onto the victims.

Dr palmer has now finished his evidence, next week, the much-anticipated 6-hour police interview with Bradley Edwards will be shown to the court.

Court will be back to normal hours.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E81: “Very Strong” Chance Ciara Glennon was in Bradley Edwards’ Car Apr 30, 2020

The state’s key fibre expert has detailed how the combination of fibres and the types of fibres found in Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s hair, as well as critical fibres no matched for their personal items, led him to believe it was more likely the two murdered women were in the Car Bradley Edwards drove, than not.

In Ciara Glennon’s case, Dr Ray Palmer said he thought there was ‘very strong’ support to indicate Ciara was in that Holden VS Commodore, owned by Bradley Edwards in the mid-late 90s.

He also told the court, generally blue polyester fibres - like the ones from the Telstra pants - accounted for 5% of the fibres found in people’s hair, while polypropylene fibres - like the fibres found in the carpet of the car - are not commonly found in people’s hair.

Day 81 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial saw Paul Yovich begin his cross examination of Dr Ray Palmer, in which the beginnings of a contamination theory seemed to be put forward by the defence.

Before the key fibre witness took the stand, earlier in the day, two former taxi company workers told how they were asked by WA police to search their archives for all of their jobs the nights Sarah, Jane and Ciara disappeared.

Amazingly, they managed to find old floppy disks containing that data, which didn’t reveal a lot, except that a job from Sarah Spiers was found. The court had previously heard tat she phoned for a taxi at 2.06am on January 27, 1996. When the taxi arrived less than 3 minutes later, she was gone.

They also found two jobs for “Janes” that night, but none seemed to be leaving from Claremont, and no jobs from a Ciara - or any variations of that name.

But during cross examination, it was revealed, the jobs from hailed taxis were never logged.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Forensic expert Brendan Chapman as they discuss day 81.

Court will be sitting late for the rest of the week as Dr Ray Palmer continues to be cross examined.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E80: Another Woman’s Terrifying Encounter Apr 29, 2020

Day 80 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial sat late to accomodate an expert witness from overseas. But before Dr Ray Palmer gave evidence, the defence asked the prosecution to call up a witness.

This witness gave a terrifying account of her encounter with a man in a white van who she accepted a ride from while she was walking on Stirling Highway in the mid 90s.

A man who tried to grab her leg while he was driving her before she yelled to stop, ran as fast as she could from the car and hid behind a letterbox until he was gone.

This encounter is eerily similar to the Telstra Living Witnesses, except, her description of the man was very different to their descriptions, and the description of Bradley Edwards at that time.

A tactic in reasonable doubt? Criminal Defence Lawyer Damien Cripps joins the podcast team to discuss that question, and the evidence from the prosecution’s ket fibre witness - Dr Ray Palmer, who literally wrote the book on fibres.

During Dr Palmer’s evidence, he told the court he thought the forensic practices were very sloppy, and probably resulted in the loss of fibres.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard about forensic practices being sloppy - DNA experts have also previously told the court they thought the same.

But Dr Palmer qualified his remarks by saying the practices were sloppy all-round in the 90s - even in the UK.

He also told the court that fibres in general can fall off people very easily, and the chances of finding a target fibre that matches one of the fibres found on a body - which is the case in the fibres found on Jane, Ciara and the Karrakatta rape victim - is usually very rare.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke as they bring you a wrap up of the night’s evidence.

Court will be sitting late for the rest of the week as Dr Ray Palmer continues his evidence.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E79: The Mammoth Evidence Apr 28, 2020

After spending nine days on the stand, Chem Centre scientist Rees Powell finally wrapped up his evidence on day 79 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

It was during the end of his evidence-in-chief that it was revealed not only were fibres from the bodies of Ciara Glennon and Jane Rimmer analysed, the fibres from another WA cold case - which we have spoken about before on the podcast - the murder of Gerard Ross, was analysed along side the MACRO exhibits.

The fibres were also compared to see if there were any matches.

It was revealed there were matches, — but only from so-called “adventitious” sources, possibly from overshoes worn by police and sheets used in the state mortuary.

During his mammoth time on the stand, Mr Powell detailed the huge amount of fibres that had been collected during the investigation, and the number of fibres Chem Centre tested, dating back to 2009, numbered in the thousands.

On the final day of his evidence, a report put together by Mr Powell said the MACRO investigation is likely to be one of the largest textile fibre investigations ever conducted worldwide.

The defence had their chance to question Mr Powell during his cross examination, where he was

The state’s case - like the DNA portion of the trial, seemed to looking to find chances for contamination.

Mr Yovich asked Mr Powell about the possibility of a crowded hotel, packed with people, being a good environment for the transfer of fibres.

Such as the Continental Hotel, where Jane and Ciara spent parts of their last nights alive. Mr Powell agreed fibres could and would be transferred from people throughout the nights.

Now that Mr Powell has finished his evidence, the trial will move to the UK, where the state’s key fibre witness, Dr Ray Palmer, who will be giving evidence via video link.

The trial will sit later for the rest of the week.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss day 79.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E78: Pre-Murder Fibres No Match to Post-Murder Fibres Apr 23, 2020

**BREAKING: We’ve received a last-minute email from the WA court, there will be no Claremont Trial tomorrow (Friday April 24), court will resume on Tuesday, after the Anzac Day long weekend***

Fibres from anywhere and everywhere the victims went, alive and dead were tested by Chem Centre to try and find any matches to the critical fibres.

There was a huge amount of detail put into the testing - Fibres from the carpet of the Continental Hotel, Jane Rimmer’s hairbrush, Ciara Glennon’s hairbrush. Socks, a toy rabbit, a ribbon from a diary and the carpet from Ciara’s room. Her car and Una Glennon’s sewing machine.

Even the zipper lining from the inside of the body bag Ciara Glennon was placed on. A huge level of detail.

What they found was none of the fibres from around Jane and Ciara’s lives - before they disappeared - matched the critical fibres.

But 98 fibres found on their bodies after their murders match Telstra shorts and the car Bradley Edwards drove in the 90s.

The full 98 fibres have now been discussed in court, but that’s not the end of the evidence from Rees Powell, he’ll be cross examined on Tuesday.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton as they discuss day 78 of WA’s trial of the century.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E77: The Pristine Hair Sample Apr 22, 2020

For the first time, the court was shown a picture of a pristine hair sample, which was never touched before

RH17 was the hair sample taken from Ciara Glennon when her body was found in bushland off Pipidinny road in Eglington on April 3, 1997.

This hair sample is so important because it was taken before anyone had a chance to inspect Ciara’s remains, and is seen as one of the most accurate pieces of evidence showing exactly what was on Ciara Glennon before any investigators, pathologists, detectives and scientists were in contact with her samples from her remains.

During the post-mortem portion of the trial, avid listeners will remember the person who collected this fibre was never really known, because the police video at the scene didn’t capture it - the mostly likely reason was because during the collection of this fibre, the camera operator was changing the camera battery.

During today’s evidence, it was revealed two fibres were found. Those fibres were found to match the fibres from the Telstra pants worn by employees in the 90s.

During day 77’s evidence, fibre expert Rees Powell spent another long day on the stand.

He gave evidence of the rest of the fibres found on Ciara Glennon, as well as some fibres from the car driven by Bradley Edwards in the late 1990s.

Some of those fibres didn’t exactly match fibres found on Jane, Ciara or the Karrakatta rape victim, but some of the fibres from the Telstra pants matched the car, and the fibres from the Telstra pants matched the fibres found on the victims.

A slightly complicated bit of evidence, which Justice Hall jumped on and asked Rees Powell several questions on.

As criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps described the how this evidence could be interpreted - even though the fibres don’t match, they actually do.

We’re through 94 out of the 98 fibres have been run through to now.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E76: The FBI Petri dish Which Allegedly Links a Rape and a Murder Apr 21, 2020

Tiny strands of Ciara Glennon’s hair were sent to the FBI in 1999. Those hair strands in a Petri dish have become vital in the prosecution’s case - allegedly linking Ciara Glennon to the Karrakatta rape victim, and both of them to Telstra shorts, the like Bradley Edwards used to wear as a technician in the 1990s.

The blue polyester fibres were two of 41 critical fibres found on Ciara Glennon.

Other critical fibres found from who the prosecution says is the third victim of the Claremont Serial Killer, Ciara Glennon, were compared not only the Holden Commodore VS series 1 which Bradley Edwards drove in the late 90s, the database created for the investigation also found several other cars - of different makes and models seemed similar to the grey fibres found in Ciara Glennon’s hair.

A Ford Falcon, a 1995 Toyota Camry and a 1997 Toyota Camry were among the cars tested.

As both Tim Clarke and Alison Fan explain in this episode, what’s interesting is that the grey fibre ‘corresponded’ with the carpet fibres from the 1997 Toyota Camry, and when asked by Justice Hall, the witness Rees Powell conceded that the 1997 Toyota Camry could be a source for that fibre.

But as the podcast team discuss, this is one of 98 fibres, but it’s something the defence would probably jump on when it comes time for Rews Powell’s cross examination.

There’s 25 fibres to go in the fibre evidence, with the witness spending a mammoth 6 days on the stand already, it’s expected he will continue to give evidence for the rest of the week.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss day 76.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E75: The First Physical Evidence Linking Jane and Ciara Apr 20, 2020

One slide of two microscopic fibres compared to each other shown to the court on day 75.

That’s the first piece of physical evidence in the trial - 5 months in - that forensically links Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

The blue polyester fibres, found on Ciara’s shirt and in Jane Rimmer’s hair were compared on a slide and shown to the court. This is one of just a handful of evidence that the prosecution can present that shows Jane and Ciara are linked to the crime, outside of circumstantial evidence.

You can see that fibre at thewest.com.au

We got through 25 fibres today, and as Tim Clarke explains in this episode, while it feels like Groundhog Day, the evidence is important, because it's what the prosecution say links two of the murder victims, along with the rape Bradley Edwards has admitted to, to him, his car and his workwear.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E74: The Karrakatta Rape Victim, Jane and Ciara Connected Through a Blue Fibre Apr 17, 2020

During day 74’s evidence, the court heard that Ciara’s hair mass was split into 16 sections, and was meticulously examined for 17 days at Chem Centre.

During his fourth day on the stand, Chem Centre scientist Rees Powell was again giving evidence, today focussed on the 41 critical fibres found on Ciara Glennon.

We got through 8 today, and 32 of the full 98 fibres critical to the prosecution’s case.

As Tim Clarke explains in this episode, the prosecution may have been optimistic with their timeline of the fibre evidence. It takes around 8 hours to go through eight fibres, so luckily this podcast helps break down that immense detail.

The part of the evidence Tim Clarke said he finds interesting, is how close the investigations into the fibres were to the start of the trial. One of the critical fibres was found in 2018, and a comparison with fibres from Bradley Edwards’ car made in May 2019 - just two months before the trial was originally due to start.

As we know the trial was delayed for further fibre evidence, which we are now seeing why. This is how the prosecution say the Karrakatta rape victim, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon are linked to Bradley Edwards.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they take you through day 74’s proceedings.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E73: The 1000 Fibres Found in Jane’s Hair Apr 16, 2020

The sheer lengths ChemCentre scientists went to, to test the MACRO exhibits were again showed during the day’s evidence.

After Jane’s hair was separated, run under a polilight, tweezed, shoock and looked over many times to find fibres, another method was used to try and find more.

Her hair mass was washed and filtered - and 1000 new fibres were found.

As Forensic expert Brendan Chapman explains, it’s not a method commonly used.

22 of those fibres are critical to the prosecution’s case.

And one of them is unique - a blue-grey polypropylene fibre. When the car Bradley Edwards drove in the 90s was seized in 2016, that lone fibre found in Jane’s hair ‘matched’ with a fibre from the boot of the car.

This evidence came right at the end of the day, and there’s more to come.

In this episode, Brendan Chapman explains what it means when the witnesses say fibres ‘matched’ with one another, and why he doesn’t like using that word, even though it’s the best word to describe fibre features corresponding with each other.

He tells us that even though fibres can match, scientists can’t tell us where the fibres originated.

Tim Clarke has compiled his own spreadsheet of the fibres, where they came from and why they’re important - he takes us through the critical ones key to the prosecution’s case.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Brendan Chapman as they take you through day 73’s proceedings.

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E72: The Moment the Forensics linked Ciara and Jane’s Murders Apr 15, 2020

Although the MACRO taskforce had investigated Jane, Ciara and Sarah’s disappearances together since the moment Jane went missing, but before 2012, there was no physical evidence linking the murders.

On Day 72 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, a ChemCentre scientist recounted the moment the first alleged forensic links were made, connecting Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s murders.

In 2012, blue polyester fibres found in Jane’s hair and on Ciara’s shirt were compared to each other, and matched.

For the first time, a forensic, physical, tangible link was made to link the murders of Jane and Ciara.

But they didn’t know where it came from.

It wasn’t until after Bradley Edwards’ arrest in 2016 that they tested Telstra pants - and they were found to match the colour and fibre make-up of the fibres found on Jane and Ciara.

Mr Powell also detailed how blue fibres found on the shorts the Karrakatta rape victim was wearing, also matched fibres of Telstra shorts from the 1990s, which police had sourced from former Telstra workers, as well as fibres found on Ciara Glennon.

As we know, Bradley Edwards has pleaded guilty to the rape at Karrakatta, but he denies the murders of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

During his second day on the stand, forensic scientist Rees Powell took the court through the individual critical fibres to the trial, what other fibres they match and why they’re important.

We got through 5 fibres today, so strap yourselves in for a long haul.

But as Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps explain, this evidence is so important to linking Jane Rimmer physically and forensically into the trial.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps, as they discuss the evidence from day 72.

***We couldn’t be in the studio today and are all on the phone, please bear with the audio quality***

Justice Hall has released some exhibits from the fibre evidence to the public, you can find those photos on thewest.com.au

The West Australian has also released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E71: Looking For a Needle in a Haystack Apr 14, 2020

Today in court we found out a world-first fibre database was created specifically for the Claremont Serial Killings trial, which led to a ground breaking new way of investigating fibres now used as the standard method of fibre matching.

The scientists who were testing the fibres found in Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s hair saw that they looked similar to those found in cars.

So, they took off their lab coats and went out into the field, specifically wrecking yards, the police compound and tested cars - though trial and error.

After years of finding fibres, testing and ruling them out, they finally found their needle in a haystack - the fibres were strikingly similar to those found in a Holden Commodore Stationwagon VS 1 or 2.

The incredibly detailed work was done by scientists who had to cross reference more than 4000 fibres they found on the victims.

The scientists literally had to take each fibre one-by-one and look at them through a microscope to compare to the MACRO fibres - and they did it in the hopes of finding a match - they didn’t have anything to cross reference, until December 2016.

We previously heard scientists spend 11 days combing through Bradley Edwards’ former Telstra car, and even longer testing the fibres.

As we’ve heard before, 41 critical fibres were found in Ciara Glennon’s hair, and 22 were found in Jane Rimmer’s hair.

Once Bradley Edwards was arrested in 2016, detectives had the confirmation Telstra was involved - previously we’d heard WA police investigated Telstra in 1997 - and in 2018, they got hold of pants worn by Telstra workers in the mid-late 90s, and the same intricate, detailed tests were compared to the fibres found on Jane, Ciara and importantly the link to the living victim - the Karrakatta rape victim.

The West Australian has released a two-part video series, as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas which are key to the trial, from Claremont, where the women went missing, to Hollywood hospital and to the sites were Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found.

To watch those videos, head to:

Part 1:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-on-a-visual-tour-of-claremont-ng-b881516606z

Part 2:

https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-tim-clarke-takes-you-to-wellard-and-eglington-ng-b881517153z

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation podcast team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E70: Fabric Under Scrutiny Apr 08, 2020

That crucial Telstra Blue fibre was again under the spotlight on day 70 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, this time by the defence.

Joined by prominent Perth criminal defence lawyer Tom Percy QC, the podcast team discuss what the defence will try to argue to place enough reasonable doubt in the fibre evidence.

The argument - that the ‘Telstra Blue’ colour wasn’t always exclusive to Telstra, the colour was supplied to other, smaller businesses throughout the 90s.

But the prosecution say that it’s the combination of the fibre material - the unique mixture of cotton and viscose - and the Telstra blue colour that makes it exclusive to Telstra workers’ uniforms.

Hear the opinion of one fo Perth’s top criminal defence lawyers about how he thinks the trial is going, and whether he thinks - if convicted - the location of Sarah Spiers could be revealed.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Tom Percy QC as they discuss day 70 of WA's trial of the century.

The trial will take a break over Easter, returning on Tuesday April 14.

In the mean-time, keep an eye out for a special video series as Tim Clarke takes you through the areas crucial to the trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E69: Telstra Blue Apr 07, 2020

Telstra Blue.

The fibre that delayed the trial of the century for more than four months.

And it’s the fibre which the prosecution say was found in Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s hair.

A piece of material, from a pair of Telstra pants which were used in 1996 and 1997 was tested as late as May 2019.

The trial was originally due to start, but the prosecution - and the judge found this evidence important enough to delay the trial until November.

On day 69 two witnesses told the court in minute detail, of how fibres are woven into pieces of fabric, which fibres are used and how they’re dyed.

Criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps joins us for today’s podcast episode, he describes how the prosecution are trying to prove - beyond reasonable doubt - that the fibres found in the hair of Jane and Ciara are from pants worn by a Telstra worker through the fibres and that Telstra worker is Bradley Robert Edwards.

As Alison Fan explains, the colour of the Telstra pants was made specifically for Telstra, in fact the dye made for those pants was called Telstra Blue.

But we haven’t heard from the defence yet, Paul Yovich asked to delay the cross examination until tomorrow.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Alison Fan and Damien Cripps as they discuss - and debate day 69 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial. They also answer some listener 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.

S2E68: The Good Old Fashion Police Work that Changed WA History Apr 06, 2020

The police officer who went digging for the fingerprints that would blow the Claremont Serial Killings investigation wide open give his evidence today.

Sgt Colin Stuart Beck took the stand to tell his massive involvement in one of WA’s most infamous cold cases, how his good old fashioned police work finding fingerprints from a series of break-ins, which led to fingerprints linking the Claremont cases to Huntingdale cases, and the database match with threw up the name Bradley Robert Edwards.

All of these links, however didn’t have any DNA evidence.

That’s when WA police set up an undercover operation to follow Bradley Edwards.

Long-time listeners of the podcast and the case will remember in late December 2016, Bradley Edwards went to the movies. He had no idea police were watching his every move.

He dropped a Sprite bottle into the bin as he left, police picked that bottle up and it was immediately sent to the lab.

Police waited anxiously for the results, which eventually showed an exact match to Huntingdale and Karrakatta, and a match that couldn’t be ignored for Ciara.

The podcast team take you through the details of Sgt Beck’s evidence - from the phone call of a DNA match, to the arrest of Bradley Edwards and the searches of four houses linked to him, through to finding clothes from the 90s to compare to fibres found in Jane and Ciara’s hair, and the car Bradley Edwards drove in 1996 and 1997.

As always, Bradley Edwards is innocent until proven guilty, and this evidence is the prosecution’s way of trying to prove whether he is the Claremont Serial Killer.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and forensic expert Brendan Chapman as they discuss day 68.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E67: The Trial Travels to China Apr 02, 2020

With a video link to China, technical difficulties plagued the morning’s proceedings.

When the technical issues were sorted, day 67 took a deep dive into fibres, VIN numbers and cars.

Tim Clarke says in this episode, you would have had to be a car buff for the day’s evidence to keep you interested and focussed the whole day.

Luckily, Tim Clarke was in court all day and takes us through the most important aspects of the day.

A former Holden manufacturer, who told the court the particular colours of the fibres of the car - found in Jane and Ciara’s hair - were only found in that make and model of car.

It was a narrowing down exercise today, narrowing down the chances that the car police found could be the car which Jane and Ciara were in, and possible take to where they were killed.

Join Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke as they discuss the day’s evidence, and make it easy to understand.

Send any questions you have for the podcast team to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E66: The Last Thing Jane and Ciara Could Have Ever Seen Apr 01, 2020

Could the inside of the Holden Commodore VS series be the last thing Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon ever saw before they were killed?

It was revealed CSI took three days to dismantle and examine the Holden Commodore that Bradley Edwards drove in 1996 and 1997.

Hundreds of exhibits were taken from the car - ChemCentre looking for fibres, PathWest looking for biological material, police looking for investigative clues, polilight exams, swabs, mats, seat covers and door panels taken away. Anything that could be examined, was.

Even though the car was assigned to Bradley Edwards in April 1996, the witness today - CSI officer Acting Senior Sergeant Steven Mark told the court they still looked for any signs of Sarah Spiers, who disappeared on January 26, 1996.

Nothing from Sarah Spiers or DNA was found, but fibres were - and that’s what this car brings to the case.

The prosecution say the seat fibres were found on Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

So, what is the importance of this car and fibres to this case? Criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps says in other criminal trials, fibres are used in evidence to make sure every stone is turned in the investigation. Fibres may not be the most important exhibits in the trial, but they are physical links between Bradley Edwards and the two women.

More than 90 photos of the car were shown to the court, and have been released to the public. As Tim Clarke explains in this episode, the last photo is probably the most interesting because it shows a piece of the puzzle that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

Those photos can be seen on thewest.com.au.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps as they discuss day 66 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

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.

S2E65: The Car Seizure that Changed the Investigation Mar 31, 2020

The police officer who seized the car Bradley Edwards drove in the 90s told the court of the breakthrough police had when they realised the car still existed.

That car was the Holden Commodore seized in December 2016 - the same day Bradley Edwards was arrested.

It’s been revealed it was the car Bradley Edwards drove in 1996 and 1997 - and the prosecution say it was the car he drove to abduct Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

It’s become vitally important in the case, because the prosecution says fibres found on the victims match the fibres of the seat inserts of the car.

Other fibres which the prosecution say link the victims to Bradley Edwards are blue fibres.

As Tim Clarke explains in this episode, a lot of people present at the crime scenes, post mortems and fibre collection also wore blue - police officers.

But the prosecution says that blue was specially made for Telstra by workfare company Yakka, the colour called Telstra Blue, and ChemCentre can prove that because their technology is so sensitive, it can pick up colour down to the wavelength, and can determine the exact colour, not tainted by the interpretation of what the human eye sees.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss day 65 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

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.

S2E64: The Sensitive Operation Mar 30, 2020

On Day 64 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, two forensic police officers detailed how they painstakingly sifted through Jane Rimmer’s hair mass 13 years after her post-mortem.

It was a sensitive operation for two reasons.

After being in frozen storage for more than a decade, Jane’s hair mass was extremely brittle, and still had icicles on it.

But these officers were very aware they were sifting through the hair of a murdered woman.

As forensic expert Brendan Chapman explains in this epsidode, while collecting and retaining a hair mass during a post-mortem is common, actually testing a hair mass isn’t - because mostly, it’s taken as a, what he called the “one per center” a “last resort” exhibit to examine.

Through his experience, cases tend to get solved before sifting through a hair mass is needed.

But this was a “one per center” case, and the prosecution would say that one per cent chance of testing paid off.

The prosecution say 22 fibres, 20 of which the prosecution say matched a white commodore station wagon Bradley Edwards had access to at the time, and 2 which they say match specially-made Telstra pants worn by the accused in the 90s were found in Jane Rimmer’s hair.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and forensic expert Brendan Chapman as they discuss day 64 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E63: The Trial Must Go On Mar 26, 2020

Despite the coronavirus outbreak, the judge presiding over the Claremont Serial Killings trial, Justice Hall effectively told the court on day 63 that the trial must go on.

At the end of the shortened day for the cross examination of former forensic police officer Victor Webb, Justice Hall told the court he is prepared to make changes to the process to allow witnesses to give evidence from home.

But for day 63, former forensic police officer Victor Webb was grilled by the defence about storage and transfer of critical exhibits, as well as the car he drove in the 90s.

As Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton explain, the defence will try to argue that instead of the critical fibres linking Bradley Edwards to Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon through his Telstra car and shorts, instead, they were found on the victims through contamination and fibre transfer.

It’s previously been revealed several police officers drove police cars, some of of which were commodore station wagons to the crime scenes of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, as well as to the morgue during their post-mortems, where the bodies were placed on a sheet on the floor.

But the prosecution say the fibres got there from the women being in the car driven by Bradley Edwards.

The prosecution also argue he didn’t necessarily have to be wearing his Telstra uniform at the time of the murders, instead, some fibres from his Telstra shorts stayed in the car, and transferred onto the women while they were in his car.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton as they take you through day 63.

Send in any questions you have for the podcast team to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E62: Prime Suspect’s Knife Sent to the FBI Mar 25, 2020

Just as day 62 of the Claremont serial killings trial was ending, drama erupted in the courtroom.

Coronavirus-related drama.

Justice Hall hauled a security staff member into the courtroom after it emerged some pensioners and students were banned from entering the court.

He told the security their actions, which were approved by the court’s general manager could amount to contempt of court, saying,

“I take this extremely seriously. The public has been discouraged from attending but not excluded." And "No one is to be excluded from this court other than by my order.”

During proceedings, former forensic police officer Victor Webb gave evidence, who told the court knives owned by the prime suspect at the time - Lance Williams’ - was sent to the FBI along with Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s hair and clothes.

Despite finding nothing, police still pursued him, overtly and round the clock, for years.

It wouldn’t be until 2008 that Lance Williams would be cleared.

Along with MACRO exhibits, exhibits from operation Ambrose - the investigation into the murder of Gerard Ross was sent to the FBI too.

In 1999 the FBI had technology that WA didn’t - that’s why the samples were sent there. WA police also sought the advice from the best entomologists and profilers in the world.

They stayed there until 2001, and what would come out of it would be the critical fibres that the prosecution say link Ciara Glennon, Jane Rimmer and the Karrakatta rape victim to Bradley Robert Edwards.

Join Tim Clarke, Natalie Bonjolo and criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps as they discuss day 62.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E61: The FBI Connection Mar 24, 2020

WA’s trial of the century will likely take a couple of days off each week in an effort to try and limit the amount of time the lawyers, witnesses and police are in the room.

It’s been a fast changing process of how this important trial can continue through the COVID-19 crisis, all the players are working together to try and get a result, as well as stay safe. Justice Hall told the court “We will pull together”

That means streamlining the witnesses.

Today, three forensic scientists took the stand, giving evidence about the search for clues from the bodies Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, and the clothes of Ciara and the Karrakatta rape victim.

One of the former forensic officers told of how police were so desperate for clues, they sent the hair masses of Jane and Ciara to the FBI to expert hair analysts, as Tim Clarke explains, they were world leaders at the time in fibre analysis.

Another scientist, Bernard Lynch told the court he analysed the Karrakatta rape victim’s shorts, looking for carpet fibres - fibres which would have been from the car the perpetrator used when he abducted her, but he didn’t find anything.

What was found almost two decades later, was a blue fibre, which the prosecution say belonged to blue Telstra shorts Bradley Edwards wore.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Alison Fan and Tim Clarke as they take you through day 61 of the trial, and day 2 of the fibre evidence.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E60: Unlike DNA, Fibres CAN Fly Around the Room Mar 23, 2020

After a 10-day break, WA’s trial of the century resumed - with strict and widespread cleaning and social distancing measures to ensure this mammoth trial can continue.

Compared to previously in the trial - when the public gallery was packed to the point a separate room was set aside for overflow - one person from the public was in court.

And what they heard was the beginning of the fibre evidence, which focussed on Jane Rimmer’s hair mass.

Fibres are critical to the prosecution to link Ciara Glennon’s fingernails - which they say contained Bradley Edwards’ DNA - to Jane Rimmer and the Karrakatta rape victim.

Without any DNA evidence linking Jane to the accused, or any DNA evidence at all, the prosecution say 22 critical fibres were found in Jane’s hair, which came from specially made Telstra pants that Bradley Edwards would have worn in the mid 90s.

They say those fibres got there through Bradley Edwards taking Jane in his car, and getting close enough to her when he was killing her.

The defence, however say contamination is also the way those fibres got into Jane’s hair mass.

If you’re just joining the trial now, you can start from season 2, episode 1, or our special two-part catch up, called JUMP IN NOW: Claremont the Trial Catch Up Part 1 and 2.

If you have any questions about the trial for any of the guests, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Forensic expert Brendan Chapman as they discuss day 60.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Your DNA Questions Answered Mar 19, 2020

Now the DNA portion of the trial is over, and before we delve into the world of fibre evidence, the Claremont in Conversation team have consolidated all of the DNA evidence which is crucial to the case.

Ciara Glennon’s fingernails, the Karrakatta rape victim’s swabs and a kimono - the three pieces of evidence which the prosecution say led them to Bradley Edwards.

Joined by forensic expert Brendan Chapman, Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke answer the questions you’ve asked about all things DNA in relation to the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

If you’re just jumping in, hear about the advanced DNA technique at the time which found microscopic fragments of DNA from a broken fingernail, the international agencies involved in the testing, and the fluke cold case reinvestigation which blew the Claremont case wide open.

And if you’ve been following the case from the beginning, recap the last six weeks of DNA evidence before the trial of the century resumes on March 23.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: “Nothing Will Stop This Trial From Going Ahead” Mar 18, 2020

Despite restaurants and pubs closing, and events being cancelled, WA’s trial of the century will still be going ahead.

In a last-minute, urgent hearing called at 3pm today, Justice Stephen Hall announced the news not many people, including the Claremont in Conversation team were expecting to hear.

Court will resume on Monday, March 23.

As Alison Fan explains in this special update episode, Justice Stephen Hall virtually told the court that nothing will stop this trial from going ahead, even if it’s the only criminal trial running in the building.

What followed that extraordinary news was extraordinary, unprecedented measures implemented by the court to allow it to run.

As the podcast team discusses, it’s so fortunate that this mammoth trial is judge alone, because if there was a jury, it would be likely that it would have been stopped, to start all over again in the future.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison as they give you an update on the Claremont Serial Killings Trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: How COVID-19 Could Impact the Claremont Trial Mar 17, 2020

We’re in an unprecedented time, a confusing time.

As we’re being asked to self-isolate and work from home to try and stop the spread of Coronavirus, there are many professions where that simply isn’t possible.

Shops, cafes and restaurants may close, but hospitals, police stations, any emergency services can’t stop.

And the justice system - for the moment can’t either.

This week, Western Australia, like many other states and countries, announced that no new jury trials will be listed for three months, to try and protect any potential jurors.

Our legal expert Damien Cripps tells us what impact that will have on trials, the backlog that’s expected to happen - and for us, what that will mean for the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

Fortunately, the Claremont trial is judge-alone, but what will happen if some of the lawyers, a witness, the judge, or even the accused Bradley Edwards gets sick?

Can the public still watch the trial?

Will the media be allowed in to bring you the details?

Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps explore those questions in this bonus episode of Claremont in Conversation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Remembering Ciara Mar 14, 2020

March 14, 1997 was a day like any other. 27-year-old Ciara Glennon, having only just arrived back in Australia from travelling the world, was drinking with colleagues.

The lawyer had been back at work for a week, her colleagues wanted to celebrate that, and being a Friday, they decided to have a few drinks, then hit the town.

But Ciara didn’t want to, she wanted to go home to be with her family before her sister’s hens the next day.

She was eventually convinced to go out to Claremont - a fateful decision which would see her become the third victim of a serial killer.

She disappeared that night. Several people would later say they saw someone matching her description walking along Stirling Highway just after midnight, some seeing her leaning into the passenger side window of a white station wagon.

That was the last time anyone saw her alive.

Her body was found 19 days later in bushland, 40 km north of Perth.

Today on this bonus episode of Claremont in Conversation, we remember Ciara Glennon, the loving, family-oriented, hard working lawyer.

We look into not only how much she is missed by her family, but the vital clues she left behind as she fought for her life, which could be the key to determine whether Bradley Robert Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E59: DNA finale Mar 10, 2020

The DNA portion of the trial has officially come to an end, and as tonight’s guest on the Claremont in Conversation, Alison Fan puts it, “It was fitting that the man who started it all, ended it all.”

Dr Jonathan Whitaker dismissed the defence’s two DNA contamination theories, by saying it was ‘highly improbable’ that Bradley Edwards’ DNA was found with Ciara Glennon’s samples because of any type of contamination.

In this episode, Alison Fan says that comment is the closest a scientist - who never say never - will come to say an event is ‘impossible’.

In his own opinion, Dr Whitaker told the court it was ‘highly likely’ Bradley Edwards’ DNA was found with Ciara’s samples ‘because she scratched him’.

The prosecution say Ciara scratched Edwards while fighting for her life.

The last DNA expert took the stand, she told how the male DNA profile was 80 million times more likely to belong Bradley Edwards than any other Australian Caucasian man he’s not related to. She also told the court Edwards was 20 billion times more likely to be the perpetrator of the Karrakatta rape.

The defence put into question a lot of DNA testing practices in WA, but did they do enough to place reasonable doubt into the mind of Justice Hall?

We’ll find out as the trial continues after a 12-day adjournment, when fibre evidence begins.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E58: The Prosecution’s Star DNA Witness Mar 09, 2020

He was flown in especially from the UK to give evidence at the Claremont Serial Killings trial. He’s considered the prosecution’s star witness for DNA.

Why?

Because he helped develop the Low Copy Number technique that found the male DNA profile - which the prosecution says is Bradley Edwards’ DNA - on Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples when no one else could.

Dr Jonathan Whitaker has given evidence at some of the biggest trials around the world, including the now-famous Australian trial which convicted Bradley John Murdoch for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio.

But part of his evidence in what could be considered one of WA’s most famous trials, did catch our DNA expert by surprise, in fact, Forensic DNA Expert Brendan Chapman said it could be controversial if left unchallenged.

Our forensic expert breaks down the complicated DNA evidence into an easy-to-understand language on day 58 of WA’s trial of the century.

As we get to the end of the DNA portion of the trial, What Tim Clarke thinks of today’s evidence, why today’s witness is so important, and what’s to come next.

Don’t forget to send in your questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2JUMP IN NOW: Claremont the Trial Catch Up Part 2 Mar 07, 2020

Welcome to part two of this recap series of Claremont in Conversation.

In the last episode, we took you through the fear that swept through Perth as police realised a serial killer was at loose in their city after the disappearances of three women.

In the trial, we heard from the people who knew the women, the people who last saw them alive and watched in stunned silence as CCTV and final phone calls were played.

In this episode, we hear from the people who were woken by distressing screams that have stayed with them for more than 20 years.

We also hear from the people who found two bodies - the bodies of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

Then, the trial moves into a new phase - the investigation.

The court heard of the massive police response to the discovery of Jane and Ciara’s bodies, then the unprecedented event in court, which saw WA’s top lawyers being sent to Officeworks. Find out why in this episode.

The DNA portion of the trial is complicated and lengthy, so in this special episode, we run you through the DNA samples which are crucial to the prosecution case.

If you’re interested in DNA and DNA testing, our resident forensic expert Brendan Chapman takes us through the process on episode 35, called A Lesson in DNA.

If you’ve enjoyed this catch up series and want to know more, you can start from Season 2, Episode 1. Or follow the trial at thewest.com.au.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2JUMP IN NOW: Claremont the Trial Catch Up Part 1 Mar 06, 2020

Welcome to this special catch up episode of Claremont in Conversation.

We’re at the half-way mark in WA’s trial of the century.

If you’ve never listened before, this is your perfect chance to get up to speed on everything that’s happened in WA’s trial of the century, without having to listen to 57 episodes.

If you’ve been following the trial since day one, this is your perfect chance to recap the last three months before the trial moves into fibre evidence.

It’s been the trial WA has waited more than two decades for. Between 1996 and 1997 in the affluent, beautiful and safe suburb of Claremont, the disappearance of three women struck fear into the lives of the people of Perth, Western Australia.

Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon are names most people in WA know. They’re known because they’re the three victims of the Claremont Serial Killer.

Sarah was the first to go missing, in the early hours of January 27, 1996. She called a taxi from a Telstra phone box in Claremont just after 2am. Three minutes later the taxi arrived but she wasn’t there. She’s never been seen since.

Five months later, Jane went missing in almost identical circumstances to Sarah. She had been out in Claremont with friends, except when they decided to go home, she stayed. The last time she was seen was on CCTV vision. It took 32 seconds for Jane to never be seen alive again.

Then in March 1997, Ciara, who had been travelling around the world, had just returned home. Friends convinced her to go out, she reluctantly agreed. The 27-year-old spent just 15 minutes in the Continental Hotel in Claremont and decided to walk home. The last time she was ever seen alive, she was leaning into a white Commodore Station Wagon.

These killings went unsolved for 23 years. Now, the man police and the state say is the man who murdered Sarah, Jane and Ciara is on trial. His name is Bradley Robert Edwards.

Join the Claremont in Conversation team, Natalie Bonjolo and The West Australian Newspaper’s legal affairs editor Tim Clarke as they take you through the first part of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, known as the “civilian witnesses”.

Hear from the people who knew the victims, some of the last people to see them alive and hear from the people involved in the accused man’s life - his wives, friends and colleagues as the prosecution try to paint a picture of what would drive a man to kill three lone, vulnerable women.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want to know more, start from season 2.

Part 2 - The Forensics can be found on your favourite podcast app on Saturday.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E57: Contamination Not Likely, But Not ‘Impossible’ Mar 05, 2020

“Impossible” is not a word scientists like to use. But during his fifth, and last day on the stand, forensic scientist Scott Egan got as close as possible to that definite term.

He described a potential contamination of Bradley Edwards’ DNA into samples of Ciara Glennon’s fingernails as being highly unlikely, going as far as saying the two were tested 13-months apart.

Defence lawyer Damien Cripps says in this podcast, it’s looking like this is a full stop on this contamination theory, and the defence would have to start looking elsewhere for other ways they can weaken the prosecution’s case.

During re-examination, the prosecution asked just one question: In that 13-month period between the two samples being tested at PathWest, how many times would the lab have been cleaned?

He replied, with a slight smirk as Tim Clarke observed, “hundreds, if not thousands of times.”

Join Nat, Tim and Damien as they take you through day 57, and the last day for week 13, as the court takes a day off to prepare for new witnesses.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E56: "Fanciful" Contamination Claims Rubbished by Top Scientist Mar 04, 2020

Only one sample of Bradley Edwards’ DNA was created from the Karrakatta rape victim’s intimate swab, and it was revealed that sample sat in an evidence box from 1999 to 2008.

The prosecution argues this means there was no way Bradley Edwards’ DNA and and Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples could have come into contact with each other.

Previously the court had been told Bradley Edwards DNA was initially extracted in 1995, and tested in 1996 and 1997, then placed into storage. The Forensic scientist Anna-Marie Ashley, who tested Ciara Glennon's fingernails previously told the court the closest time frame the fingernails and the Karrakatta rape samples ever came to each other was two weeks.

Forensic scientist, Scott Egan, who was on his fourth day on the stand said:

“The DNA would have had to get out of the tube with the lid on it, out of the box, which has the lid on it, though the box with the lid on it, and then into the tube (of the other sample) with the lid on it.”

While the defence proved more contamination events which happened on Claremont exhibits at PathWest, they have said they don’t have an exact contamination event that they can point to, but instead are showing ‘sloppy practices’ at PathWest to show, if those contaminations could happen, why can’t it happen on the exhibits now seen as crucial to the case?

As Damien Cripps explains in tis episode of Claremont in Conversation, the prosecution and defence will both be hammering down on their arguments as we get to the end of the DNA portion of the trial. Can the prosecution protect the evidence they have? Or does the defence have enough attack to provide reasonable doubt?

Find out what our legal expert thinks on day 56 of WA’s trial of the century.

Don’t forget to send in your questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E55: Blood Everywhere…But No DNA Mar 03, 2020

Ciara Glennon’s body was found 19 days after she went missing, in bushland 40 kms north of Perth on April 3, 1997.

She was found fully clothed, her shirt covered in blood.

After her post-mortem, her shirt was sent off for DNA testing, but what scientists found was unusual. They found nothing, not even Ciara’s own DNA.

This was explained by senior forensic scientist Scott Egan, who told the court it was likely exposure to the elements destroyed all DNA, even Ciara’s.

But when asked how DNA was found under her fingernails, that’s because, according to the forensic scientist, they were somewhat protected.

It was the testing of the DNA of Ciara’s fingernails which came under questioning again today, this time by the prosecution, and as Tim Clarke and Alison Fan explain in this episode, they managed to get some ground back after an embarrassing end to the week for PathWest, with seven contamination events found on Claremont exhibits.

Mr Egan told the court, however, in total, PathWest counted 28 ‘quality issues’ in their more than 17,000 tests of Claremont exhibits over 25 years, an average error rate of around 0.16%, which he said was lower than the global average.

He also defended his lab practices, saying he couldn’t see any opportunities of how Bradley Edwards’ DNA could have come into contact with the Karrakatta rape victim’s samples to contaminate it - as the defence has suggested.

The prosecution today even called that theory ‘fanciful’.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they take you through the details of day 55.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

S2E46: Leather Gloves and Fingernails in Taxis Feb 17, 2020

Two never-before-heard about leads police were following up on during the mammoth investigation were revealed to the court on day 46.

A leather glove which had been found near Jane Rimmer’s body when she was found in Wellard bushland on August 3, 1996, and two fingernail clippings which were found in a taxi.

Both were revealed during forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius’ cross examination by defence lawyer Paul Yovich today.

At this stage it’s unclear whether the leather gloves will form part of the defence’s case, but as Tim Clarke explains in this episode of Claremont in Conversation, police sent the gloves off to be tested for blood.

We’ll have to wait to see if they ever come up again in the trial, or if like so many other pieces of evidence and statements in this trial, they could be left out in the open with no explanation.

What could form part of the defence’s case, however, was two tree branches which were found to have been cross contaminated with another victim’s DNA - completely unrelated to the Claremont case.

Murdoch University’s forensic DNA expert Brendan Chapman joins Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke for day 46, taking us through Low Copy Number testing, almost every way cross contamination can occur and and how tiny traces of DNA can be found, even in the smallest of samples.

For more on the Claremont Serial Killings, head to thewest.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E45: Debunking Case Myths Feb 14, 2020

In this episode, Alison Fan tells us some of the theories she’s heard from friends, strangers and people attending the public gallery at court, as she and the team try and put some of those questions into context - some of which have come up in the trial and left open-ended, or not answered at all.

Such as the question raised earlier in the week, during evidence about Ciara Glennon's fingernails being sent to New Zealand - who’s female DNA contaminated the blank control samples which were sent with Ciara Glennon’s fingernails to New Zealand in 2003?

The female scientist who tested Ciara Glennon’s fingernails before they went to New Zealand took the stand today, but she wasn’t asked by the prosecution about contamination.

So we’re not any closer to finding out who that female DNA belonged to.

Natalie Bonjolo asks the question which many must be asking; those fingernail samples which were found to be contaminated by female DNA, which were AJM41 and AJM46 aren’t crucial to the prosecution’s case, so why do we care if they were contaminated?

In this episode, Tim Clarke explains why the prosecution is going through every minute detail - whether it seems important or not - and why the defence might find the contamination on those fingernails important.

The Claremont in Conversation podcast team talk myths, theories and yes, sometimes boredom in WA’s trial of the century on day 45.

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.

S2E44: The Eureka Moment Feb 13, 2020

In the last hour of day 44’s evidence, the prosecution began reading out statements from the former PathWest manager, senior DNA analyst Laurie Webb, who was sacked from his role in 2016 for breaching testing protocols and cutting corners.

He’s not giving evidence in court, and as Tim Clarke explained last week as he broke the story, it’s not likely we’ll find out why.

But what we did find out was that he was the person who had that ‘eureka moment’ - he was the person who, in 2009 entered the male DNA found from UK testing into WA’s DNA database and found a hit.

That DNA hit matched with a then-unsolved rape from 1995 - the Karrakatta rape.

As Tim Clarke has explained in the podcast, what it would have felt like to see that, a lead in one of WA’s most notorious unsolved crimes for more than a decade, would have been astounding.

We also heard in detail how those DNA samples made their way to the UK in the first place, taken in person by Laurie Webb, the samples never leaving his sight.

But the court heard for the first time that there was also DNA samples from another victim unrelated to the Claremont Serial Killings case that was being taken to the UK at the same time.

Join Emily Moulton, Tim Clarke and Natalie Bonjolo as they discuss the brief statements from Laurie Webb, as well as the completion of forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius’ evidence-in-chief.

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 coverage of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, head to thewest.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E43: Newly Discovered Evidence Feb 12, 2020

Around 17,000 people had their DNA tested during the largest and most expensive investigation in Australia’s history.

They included thousands of taxi drivers, MACRO Taskforce’s prime suspect Lance Williams and even the former mayor of Claremont.

But what we don’t know is if any Telstra workers were asked to give their DNA.

We probably won’t find out, because as Tim Clarke explains in this episode, unless something extraordinary happens, those 17,000 names won’t be released to the public.

This was revealed on Day 43 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, which lasted just 10 minutes.

After two days of adjournment, the trial was delayed for another day as prosecutors asked for more time following the discovery of more than 400 documents relating to LCN testing on Ciara Glennon’s fingernails conducted by PathWest.

The delay will allow forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius from PathWest to read through at 35-page statement he and the prosecution put together following the document discovery.

The prosecution also revealed 62 more pieces of evidence will be tendered as exhibits.

As Alison Fan explains, WA’s trial of the century has already been tipped to run for at least six months, possibly nine. How much time will these new exhibits put on the length of the already mammoth trial.

Alison joins Tim Clarke and Natalie Bonjolo as they discuss day 43.

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 coverage of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, head to thewest.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: The Day a Teenager's Innocence was Taken Feb 11, 2020

***WARNING: Distressing Content***

On February 11, 1995 a teenager’s life was changed forever. It was the night Bradley Robert Edwards brutally raped the 17-year-old, snatching her as she walked home after a night out with friends. The stuff of nightmares.

We can say this because Edwards' admitted the crime, pleading guilty to the horrific assault at Karrakatta Cemetery just weeks before his trial for rape and murder was due to start late last year.

In archived stories from The West Australian a year after the rape, the victim told journalist Ingrid Mansell she didn’t want to ruin her friends night, by forcing them to leave early, so she decided to make the 700 metre walk home.

That’s when Edwards grabbed her from behind, tied her hands together, put a hood over her head and carried her to his car where he tied her feet together before driving to Karrakatta Cemetery. Once there he dragged her into the bushes and raped her twice.

Claremont had already been reeling from the impact of the Birnies - the serial killer couple who abducted four of their five victims from the suburb in the 1980s, and a series of rapes and attempted rapes in the areas had residents in the affluent suburb on high alert.

This crime sent shock waves through the area.

The victim said she lived in fear other women would suffer a similar fate to her.

“I realised that unless they found (my attacker) straight away, the only way they would catch him would be if he offended again and I could not bear the thought of that happening to someone else,” she told The West Australian.

Then Sarah Spiers went missing.

Bradley Edwards has always denied killing Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

John Townsend was The West Australian’s crime reporter at the time. As a guest on the podcast, John recalled speaking to police and the startling information he received shortly after Sarah Spiers disappeared.

His emotional description of his anger about the little or no information, or the wrong information sent out to the public at the time shows this case has stayed with him for more than 25 years.

Join John Townsend, Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke for this extra episode during a brief court adjournment.

When court resumes, DNA evidence from forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius will continue.

If you, or anyone you know has been affected by the content in this podcast, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) on

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E42: “Extremely Unsatisfactory” Feb 10, 2020

Day 42 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial started with a revelation which immediately led to a delay of proceedings for at least two days.

That revelation was the discovery of more than 400 documents relating to testing of the crucial evidence - Ciara Glennon’s fingernails.

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo started off proceedings by admitting the blunder to the court, which Justice Hall called ‘extremely unsatisfactory’.

Ms Barbagallo revealed the documents were discovered during a briefing with PathWest witnesses ahead of their appliances, which was due to be this week. The defence received those documents just five minutes before court began.

Before the trial started, it was revealed there would be at least one million documents presented by the prosecution.

During preparation for the trial, Ms Barbagallo said PathWest found and scanned all of their documents relating to the case, but at least 400 were scanned and not sent to the defence, or never scanned at all. Both Justice Hall and defence lawyer Paul Yovich have asked PathWest for a statement explaining how it could have happened.

When court resumed in two days, forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius will continue his evidence.

Joined by criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps, who had some sympathetic words for the prosecution, Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan discuss what today's events mean for the trial moving forward, and debate whether it was in fact an unacceptable blunder, or just human error.

While court won’t be sitting, the podcast will continue, stay tuned for bonus episodes of Claremont in Conversation, and send in any questions you have from the trial so far to claremonpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E41: A Gift for Ciara's Birthday Feb 07, 2020

Just days before what would have been Ciara Glennon’s 28th birthday in November 1997, her grieving family were given a gift from A MACRO detective and pathologist Dr Karin Margolius - a bit of their daughter back. A lock of her hair.

Detectives on the case had become close to the families as the massive investigation spanned months, turning into years, and this - as it was with Jane Rimmer’s family - an act of compassion.

This act, however has somewhat divided our podcast team, with veteran 7NEWS reporter Alison Fan describing the act of signing out the hair mass for two days as ’bizarre’.

As forensic scientist Aleks Bagdonavicius finished his evidence today, he revealed a record, which showed one of the crucial DNA exhibits, Ciara Glennon’s left middle fingernail labelled AJM 42, had at some point between 2001 and 2003 been tested with results showing a ‘possible match for male DNA’. This had never been heard in court before.

The only time the court had previously been told of male DNA showing up in AJM42 was when it was sent to the UK for further testing - and only when it was joined with Ciara Glennon’s thumbnail, AJM 40, that it revealed a male DNA profile, which the prosecution says matched the male DNA found on the Karrakatta rape victim - Bradley Robert Edwards.

As the day’s proceedings came to a close on the final day of week nine, the prosecution listed the witnesses for the next week, and the witnesses they will call to complete the DNA portion of the trial.

One notable name which wasn’t mentioned was Laurie Webb - the PathWest manager who had a huge involvement in handling evidence from both Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, as well as samples from the Karrakatta rape victim. He was sacked from PathWest in 2016 for cutting corners in his work.

The West Australian Legal Affairs editor Tim Clarke reveals the scoop he’s uncovered about why his name wasn’t mentioned in this episode of Claremont in Conversation.

You can also read Tim’s exclusive story at thewest.com.au.

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.

S2E40: Another Woman’s DNA Feb 06, 2020

The defence honed in on potential DNA contamination from samples sent to a lab in New Zealand on day 40 of WA’s trial of the century.

During cross examination, defence lawyer Paul Yovich pointed out to Dr SallyAnn Harbison, who was on the stand for a second day, that when testing Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples, four blank control samples were found to be contaminated with another woman’s DNA.

Forensic DNA expert Brendan Chapman joins us for this episode, and as he explains, this isn’t a ‘blow’ for the prosecution, and that was because, although the court heard two fingernail samples AJM 41 and 46 had been affected by contamination and showed a woman’s DNA unrelated to the case - Dr Harbison said the crucial left middle fingernail - AJM 42, which the state says contained Bradley Edwards’ DNA - was not affected by the contamination.

Brendan helps the podcast team discuss contamination, DNA and even a bit of ancestry on episode 40, he also answers some of your complex DNA questions, which have come up during the trial and left us scratching our heads.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E39: The Other Suspect's DNA Twist Feb 05, 2020

Lance Williams was the main suspect as being the Claremont Serial Killer for 10 years, and today it was revealed scientists once believed they found a possible match between his hair and that found on the third victim, Ciara Glennon.

During his final day on the stand, retired forensic scientist Martin Blooms revealed in 2002, scientists did suspect a match had been made between the hair from Lance Williams and hairs found on Ciara Glennon’s body, following testing on Mr Williams hair after he was arrested.

Lance Williams was arrested in 1998 and interrogated by police for 17 hours.

Shortly after his arrest, Lance Williams voluntarily offered his DNA samples for testing,

He was placed under intense scrutiny by police, who openly followed him to and from work every day for years.

In 2002, they conducted the test, which at the time was designed to exclude suspects, but forms shown to the court on day 39 revealed at least one hair recovered from Ciara’s shirt as well as her skirt noted that it “possibly matched with Williams.”

Mr Williams admitted to driving around Claremont at night during 1996 and 1997 to look for lone women, but he insisted it was to offer them a safe way to get home - because three women had gone missing from the area.

Claremont in Conversation guest and veteran 7 News reporter Alison Fan interviewed Mr Williams in 2002, and said she came out of the interview convinced he was innocent, so much so she called the assistant commissioner of police to tell him what she thought.

It wasn’t until a decade after his arrest, that Lance Williams was officially no longer a suspect in the case.

He has since died, but was alive to hear someone else - Bradley Robert Edwards - was arrested and charged with the murders, which he denies.

But the day wasn’t all about Lance Williams, Mr Blooms was grilled by the defence about his involvement in the case, revealing that police asked he be taken off the case in 2003 - which The West’s Emily Moulton said received a sharp response, and tense moment with the prosecution.

With every detail from the last 23 years being pulled apart and analysed in WA’s trial of the century, the pressure and scrutiny is expected to only increase.

Join Natalie Bonjolo and Emily Moulton as they discuss day 39.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E38: Defending their Work Feb 04, 2020

A former senior forensic scientist has defended his work practices in the 1990s, maintaining he never took shortcuts and followed the protocols of the time.

During day 38 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, Martin Blooms rather cheekily said on the stand that DNA doesn’t ‘just fly around’ when asked whether there was any chance DNA samples from the Karrakatta rape victim could have come into contact with intimate samples from Ciara Glennon, both of which he tested.

The trial has previously heard there is no evidence to suggest Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon were sexually assaulted before their deaths, but Mr Blooms said there was no way to ever tell whether the women were raped, because decomposition and time had decayed any sperm or semen, if any existed in the first place.

In Episode 38 of the trial, Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Natalie Bonjolo also discuss Mr Blooms evidence, how even in the 1990s, the lab technicians knew technology would only advance, so they took measures to ‘future-proof’ the exhibit, so they could be tested with technology that didn’t exist yet.

Also hear Alison Fan’s take the surprise appearance by WA’s police commissioner Chris Dawson in the public gallery the day before, and why a strong focus by the defence of a label could be an important piece of evidence.

For more coverage on WA’s trial of the century, head to thewest.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E37: The Telephone Question Feb 03, 2020

It was a seemingly out-of-the-blue, random question made by defence lawyer Paul Yovich on Day 37 of the trial, but as put by our criminal defence lawyer guest Shane Brennan, it’s a clever one.

That question: In 1996 and 1997, did the PathWest lab - which tested both the Karrakatta rape victim’s and Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples - have a telephone?

With the follow-up question if the phone had ever been maintained during the late 1990s.

The accused Claremont Serial Killer Bradley Edwards worked for Telstra during that time, and as the podcast team explain, if the defence are trying to prove reasonable doubt through cross contamination, the question about the telephone is ‘clever’.

Our special guest, criminal defence lawyer Shane Brennan, who has more than 42 years’ experience with criminal trials, including murder and DNA, said the defence would try every avenue to prove reasonable doubt.

Hear the discussion with Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke, Damien Cripps and special guest Shane Brennan about the day’s proceedings, plus on the special appearance by WA’s top cop in court on day 37 of WA’s trial of the century.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E36: Literally Hanging on by a Fingernail Jan 31, 2020

It’s seen as probably the most crucial piece of evidence the prosecution have to try and prove Bradley Edwards as being the Claremont Serial Killer - Ciara Glennon’s fingernail clippings.

Anna-Marie Ashley, the forensic scientist who extracted the DNA from those fingernails spent her second day on the stand, detailing how the DNA was extracted, and whose DNA they found.

Just as crucially, she was also asked about how the evidence was stored, and as Tim Clarke and Alison Fan explain, these are the type of details the defence will try and draw out, to try and show if there was any moment during this mammoth investigation the samples from the Karrakatta rape victim and Ciara Glennon’s fingernails could have been cross contaminated.

When one of Ciara’s fingernail clippings taken from the middle finger on her left hand - which were labelled AJM42 - were tested, initially they only showed her DNA.

It wasn’t until the fingernail clippings, along with the Karrakatta rape victim’s samples were sent to the UK for further testing that a male DNA profile was found.

That was later found to be the DNA of Bradley Edwards, after police retested other exhibits from then-unrelated cases which brought up his fingerprints, then tailed him and tested a sprite bottle he left behind after a trip to the movies in 2016.

Join Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Natalie Bonjolo as they discuss week eight of Western Australia’s trial of the century.

For more on the Claremont serial killings trial, head to thewest.com.au, and if you have any questions about the trial for the podcast team or any of their guests, send in your questions to claremontpodcast@wanew.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E35: A Lesson in DNA Jan 30, 2020

The forensic scientist who tested the evidence which is crucial to the prosecution’s case today took the stand.

Anna-Marie Ashley from Path West, detailed in painfully intricate detail of how she extracted the DNA from the Karrakatta rape victim’s intimate swabs, which revealed DNA which we now know is Bradley Edwards’ - for the first time.

She also tested Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples - the crucial piece of evidence which the prosecution say links the Karrakatta rape, which Bradley Edwards has pleaded guilty to, with the murder of Ciara Glennon.

It was an extremely scientific, and detail driven day in court, luckily, forensic DNA expert Brendan Chapman joined Natalie and Tim in the studio to help us try to understand the process of DNA extraction.

Brendan’s informative introduction into DNA is a must-listen for those of us following the trial, because we’ve been warned - it’s only going to get more complicated, especially when the defence take their turn cross examining the evidence.

The team also answer some of the questions you’ve sent into the claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au email.

For the full coverage of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, go to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E34: Injuries Too Similar to Ignore Jan 29, 2020

Forensic pathologist Dr Clive Cooke told the court during his fourth day on the stand that Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon suffered similar injuries on their necks and hands, and that they both likely died as a result of having their necks cut with a knife.

That information isn’t new to the trial, but as Tim Clarke explains in this episode, it’s significant because it’s the first time an expert witness has been asked - and explained - injuries inflicted on both women as a collective.

Criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps joins the Claremont in Conversation team to discuss why this is significant, as well as throw some questions about the other piece of evidence that Dr Cooke also provided today - that there’s no evidence to suggest that Ciara Glennon was sexually assaulted before her murder.

As Damien and Tim explain, if the prosecution are going to present the similarities in the two murder cases, the defence would likely highlight the differences in the murders with the other cases the accused Claremont Serial Killer Bradley Edwards has admitted to.

Namely, that Bradley Edwards has admitted to two sexual attacks - the Huntingdale attack and the Karrakatta rape - and witnesses over the last two days have told the court there’s no evidence to suggest Jane or Ciara were sexually assaulted before their murders.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Damien Cripps and Tim Clarke as they take you through day 34 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

They’ll also answer some of your questions you’ve sent in to the claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au email.

For more on the Claremont Serial Killings trial, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E33: Brutal Injuries Jan 28, 2020

We’ve already been told Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon fought for their lives.

But what they went through in the moments before their deaths hasn't been spoken about in great detail, until today.

On day 33, that was made a little clearer by the testimony of pathologist Dr Clive Cooke.

He revealed there was no evidence to suggest she was raped before she was murdered.

During his third day on the stand, Dr Cooke said while there was no evidence of sexual assault, Jane’s body was so badly decomposed that it couldn’t be completely ruled out.

He also couldn’t categorically point to a cause of death for Jane, but suffocation and a cut to the throat also can’t be ‘ruled out’.

Dr Cooke was present both Jane and Ciara’s post-mortems. He detailed the large defensive wounds both women had on their bodies in detail, explaining that a sharp object would have inflicted them.

He’s also appearing on the stand as an expert witness to analyse pathologist Dr Karin Margolius’ notes - she carried out the autopsies on both women.

As Alison Fan explains in this podcast, with the hindsight and technology of 23 years, Dr Cooke was able to find what he said was a flaw in Dr Margolius’ notes.

He said a note about Ciara Glennon receiving a blow to the head shortly before her death was wrong. The ‘fracture’ Dr Margolius spoke about was - what he said - a pre-existing, natural condition. That was found after Ciara’s skull was re-examined in 2013, three years after Dr Margolius’ death.

Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Natalie Bonjolo discuss the revelations made on Day 33 of WA’s trial of the century.

For more on the trial, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

And don’t forget to send in your questions for the team and their guests to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Remembering Sarah Jan 26, 2020

It was the Australia Day weekend 1996.

Perth woke to the shocking news that an 18-year-old had been reported missing after not returning home from a night out in Claremont with friends.

Little did we know that her disappearance would be just the beginning of Australia's most expensive and longest running investigation.

She was the first victim of the Claremont Serial Killer, but her body has never been found.

In this bonus episode, we're joined by veteran journalist Alison Fan, who became close to the Spiers family since their daughter and sister was reported missing. Alison recounts the desperation felt by Sarah's heartbroken family to find the loving and happy young woman.

We take you through the person Sarah was, the search for the 18-year-old and the torment her family has gone through in the 24 years she's been missing, including false hopes and clairvoyants giving them leads that went nowhere.

As WA's trial of the century continues, the Spiers family say they've never given up hope of finding Sarah.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Alison Fan and Tim Clarke as they remember Sarah.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E32: Cause of Death Jan 24, 2020

It has been revealed for the first time that Ciara Glennon may have been struck on the back of her head in the moments before her death.

The blow may have stunned, or rendered her semi-conscious.

This information we can bring to you now, because late on day 32 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, Justice Stephen Hall lifted the suppression order put in place the day before, which had banned all details about Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s autopsies being broadcast to the public.

After an application by Seven West Media, and negotiations with the prosecution, an order was made to be able to publish limited details from the two murdered womens’ post-mortems.

In this information, was the revelation that Ciara had a small fracture to her skull, which pathologist Dr Karin Margolius said was likely to have been inflicted by a sharp object shortly before her death.

As Tim Clarke and Alison Fan explain, the injuries suffered to both Jane and Ciara extend further than the ‘neck defects’. They had injuries consistent with ‘a boxer’s stance’, which pathologist Clive Cooke called ‘classic self-defence wounds.’

As for their cause of death, It’s likely Ciara Glennon died from the large neck injuries she suffered. These were at the back and sides of her neck.

In this podcast, Tim Clarke explains why Jane Rimmer’s was inconclusive.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they wrap up week seven of WA’s trial of the century, discussing the information that’s been allowed to be broadcast, as well as explaining why we can hear it now.

For more on the Claremont Serial Killings trial, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E31: The Evidence Ban Jan 23, 2020

Before Day 31’s evidence in the Claremont Serial Killings trial could be heard, Justice Stephen Hall issues a temporary suppression order on all details regarding the post mortems of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, including any injuries and the causes of death.

Justice Hall said the suppression was made at the request of the victim’s families.

The suppression order was put in place just before evidence from the pathologist who carried out the post mortems of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon was read out to the court.

Dr Karin Margolius died from cancer in 2010, so her evidence is restricted to the reports she made during the two women's autopsies.

It leaves us with the question. Will we find out the caue of death of Jane and Ciara?

This left court reporters from every media outlet with not a lot to write about, except that a ban had been put in place.

As Tim Clarke explains, media outlets and their lawyers have put in a submission to the court to have access to these details eventually. Just how much detail Justice Hall allows to be broadcast is to be determined.

One important note, which Justice Hall stressed, is that the details discussed in court today didn’t stop at just the media. Anyone from the public who was present in the packed court room was also banned from broadcasting on social media, even talking about the details discussed in court.

Tim Clarke explains the penalties which could arise from a breach of this order.

Joined by forensic scientist Brendan Chapman, we take you through the inner workings of a forensic lab, why dental records are so important and answer some of your questions.

If you have a question for the podcast, email us at claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

To hear what goes into making the Claremont in Conversation podcast, your behind the scenes look can be found at https://omny.fm/shows/true-crime-conversations/claremont-serial-killer/embed

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E30: The Missing Exhibit Jan 22, 2020

The forensic officer who was involved with the collection of what is now seen as key pieces of evidence for the prosecution has revealed one of those pieces of evidence mysteriously disappeared after it was stored for the weekend at police HQ after Ciara Glennon’s autopsy.

Sgt Adam McCulloch, who was in his second day of evidence, told the court a white fibre labelled AJM23 - which was collected during a Polilight exam on Ciara's body - was missing.

It’s unknown, and will probably never be known the importance, if any, this fibre would have played in the trial.

This evidence, and more on questions surrounding Sgt McCulloch’s exhibit labelling and the sealing of samples using proper procedure on Day 30 of the Claremont Serial Killings Trial. Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton as they discuss the day’s evidence, and answer some of your questions you’ve sent in.

If you have a question for the podcast team, send it to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E29: A Spelling Test and a Skirt, or are they Shorts? Jan 21, 2020

Day 29 started out unusually in court, with an officer asked to spell the words ‘maggot’ and ‘entomology’ for the court as his cross examination started.

The spelling test however, wasn’t just for fun, the court was told during evidence collection, several copies of exhibit lists were made, and one officer simply couldn’t spell those two words, and could identify his writing through his spelling of ‘magat’ and ‘antomology’.

Also to take the stand, the forensic officer who collected exhibits from the 1995 Karrakatta rape. He told the court it was him who incorrectly labelled one of the items as a skirt, when they were in fact shorts. After weeks of questioning other witnesses, scrutiny of the labelling of evidence, Sergeant Adam McCulloch told the court he simply made a mistake, which was rectified.

Some of the questions sent in by podcast listeners have queried whether the item was a ‘skort’, a mix between the two. However, Sgt McCulloch didn’t have an answer to that.

Another witness, a mortuary technician who helped with Ciara Glennon’s autopsy told the court in 1997, while they had some idea of hair and fibre transfer when touching a body, they didn’t have an understanding that the same could happen with DNA.

Brian Mouchmore told the court he was aware that a skin flake or hair could get onto a body without touching it, but admitted he didn’t really know mortuary instruments could transfer DNA from one part of the body to another.

As Tim Clarke explains, Mr Mouchemore was also quizzed on the length of his beard.

Join him, Natalie Bonjolo and Alison Fan as they take you through the events of day 29.

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

And for more on the Claremont Serial Killings trial, including Tim Clarke’s stories and the West’s live blog, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E28: Profiling a Killer Jan 20, 2020

After three women went missing from the same area within less than two years of each other, police concluded they could be looking for a serial killer.

So they brought in FBI-trained profilers to try and get inside the mind of the person responsible for the murders of two women, and the disappearance of another.

Serial killer experts Claude Minisini and Captain David Caldwell were in Perth, after being invited by MACRO detectives when Ciara’s body was found dumped in bushland in Eglington on April 3, 1997.

The FBI experts were brought up by Supt John Leembruggen during his evidence on day 28 of WA’s trial of the century.

Supt Leembruggen, who was a detective with the MACRO taskforce in 1997, told the court he escorted the two experts into the crime scene of Ciara Glennon’s body. As Tim Clarke explains, the experts' inclusion in the investigation was contentious at the time, and even more contentious, was what they said.

Mr Caldwell had created a profile of the killer while in Perth. He told WA media at the time he believed the then unknown suspect “really enjoys the killing” and “only capture or the killer’s death would stop him taking more lives.”

In this podcast, the team also discuss the injuries found on Ciara Glennon’s body, more quizzing of mortuary technicians of how they collected evidence, and why one of the technicians put a towel meant for cleaning up after an autopsy over his shoulders.

All of that, plus legal analysis and answers to some of your questions by defence lawyer Damien Cripps on day 28 of Claremont in conversation.

If you have a question, send it in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

And for more on the Claremont serial killings trial, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E27: The Evidence the State's Case Hangs On Jan 17, 2020

***WARNING: Graphic Content***

Ciara Glennon's fingernail clippings are the key pieces of evidence the prosecution have to say why they'll prove Bradley Robert Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

The reason why they're so crucial, is because DNA found under those fingernails contained the DNA of the accused, and the prosecution say it got there because of a struggle.

When Ciara Glennon’s body was found on April 3, 1997, she also had defensive wounds on her arms and hands, indicating she fought for her life.

On day 27 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, the court heard from the mortuary manager who collected those key pieces of evidence. Dr Robert Macdermit, who had conducted more than 10,000 autopsies during his career, clipped Ciara's fingernails, and detailed the grim task that was conducting her post-mortem.

In that autopsy, Ciara's hair mass was also taken, a gruesome task which was explained in full to the court by Dr Macdermit. Ciara's hair is also an important piece of evidence for the prosecution, because several blue and grey fibres, which they say are from the Telstra uniform and Commodore station wagon used by Bradley Edwards at the time.

However, during his cross examination it was revealed Dr Macdermit could have driven a commodore to the post mortem that day.

The defence also noticed what looked like another body present in the room of the time of Ciara's post-mortem. They also got Dr Macdermit to admit they used the same utensils for different body parts, which were rinsed off during the procedure.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they explain the details of day 27.

If you have any questions for the Claremont in Conversation team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

For more information on WA's trial of the century, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E26: Police Errors Jan 16, 2020

The defence team for the accused Claremont Serial Killer, Bradley Edwards focussed on forensic collection errors made by police when Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies were found in 1996 and 1997.

Sergeant Gary Hyde was grilled about errors in transcripts and data entry of forensic pieces from samples collected from the murdered women.

On day 26, we’re joined by forensic expert Brendan Chapman, who helps walk us through some of the potential risks incorrect entries in forensic databases can arise, as well as answer your questions about DNA and forensics.

We also got a glimpse of the type of person Ciara Glennon was in life, with photos of her bedroom just hours after she went missing shown to the court.

The moment trapped in time, as the court saw clothes strewn across her bed and shoes on the floor. The bedroom left by a woman in a hurry, never to return.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Brendan Chapman as they navigate the world of forensics and DNA.

For more on the trial, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

Don’t forget you can send in your questions for the team and any of our guests to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E25: Handling Evidence Jan 15, 2020

The question of who handled evidence samples from the two murdered women’s bodies, will become key in both the prosecution and defence’s arguments.

Today, on day 25, we got our first glimpse of just how in depth the witnesses will be expected to remember of their dealings with samples.

Forensic police officer Gary Hyde told the court he was present during the day Ciara Glennon’s body was found, he took photos of her post-mortem the next day, and handled several exhibits.

He was responsible for sending off a critical hair sample to the FBI in 1999.

He also told the court he handled evidence which had been tested by key forensic scientist Laurie Webb in 2012, who went on to be sacked in 2016 for cutting corners.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton as they take you through how the evidence was labelled, where it went, as well as discussing Yakka workwear, and why it has become so important to this case.

For more on the Claremont Serial Killings Trial, head to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings

You can send in any questions you have about the trial to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E24: The Lock of Hair Jan 14, 2020

Following Jane Rimmer’s post-mortem, the pathologist who carried it out gave one of the detectives a lock of Jane’s hair.

The detective, Vicky Young then washed, brushed and placed an elastic around it and gave it to the Rimmer family.

During her evidence today, she said it was an act of compassion. But she also said the hair was covered in fluids and matter when it was given to her.

On the podcast for day 24 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, Alison Fan, Tim Clarke and Natalie Bonjolo discuss this act of kindness, and whether this could have an impact in the case against Bradley Edwards.

In a massive day of WA’s trial of the century, several police officers were questioned, including the first Macro Taskforce detective, who organised a massive search - which included TRG officers - of the Wellard area following the discovery of Jane Rimmer’s body, for Sarah Spiers.

But they didn’t find anything. Sarah still has never been found.

Also today, for Sergeant Barry Mott revealed he drove to Jane Rimmer’s crime scene in a station wagon, the type of car the prosecution says Bradley Edwards used when the murders happened, and fibres from it which were found in both Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies.

Join the Claremont in Conversation podcast team as they discuss why this new information may be an obstacle for the prosecution.

Send in your questions for the team at claremonrpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E23: A Doctor’s Memory Jan 13, 2020

****WARNING: Some viewers may find the content discussed in this episode distressing****

The doctor who examined the 17-year-old who was brutally raped by Bradley Edwards in 1995 has recalled the horrific injuries the teenager suffered that night.

In Day 23 of the Claremont serial killings trial Dr Amanda Barnard gave evidence saying while she had examined thousands of women during her career as a doctor for the sexual assault resource centre, the injuries inflicted on the 17-year-old by Bradley Robert Edwards almost 25 years ago had stayed with her.

Bradley Edwards pleaded guilty to the rape, in which he abducted the teenager while she was walking to a friends’ house in Claremont on February 11, 1995.

He grabbed the 17-year-old from behind, bound her hands, put a hood over her head and carried her to his van, where he tied her legs, drove her to Karrakatta Cemetery where he then brutally raped the teenager twice.

Dr Barnard, who was working at the sexual assault resource centre at the time told the court how the teenager’s examination was ‘painful and difficult’, saying,

“I think the things that made this particular case stick in my mind were the violent nature of assault by a stranger, the fact that she had been hooded and restrained, the extent and painfulness of her injuries and given the fact of her youth and that she was a virgin,”

But while on the stand, the doctor was quizzed about how she collected samples from the teenager, how they were stored and who she sent them to.

The defence say these samples – which were found to have Bradley Edwards’ DNA on them were cross-contaminated with the fingernail clippings from Ciara Glennon.

But the prosecution say they were never even stored on the same shelf, let alone could be contaminated, and previously called the suggestion of cross contamination an “Exercise in errant fantasy”.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps as they take you through day 23 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

If you, or anyone you know has been affected by the content in this podcast, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14

Or the sexual assault resource centre on 1800 199 888

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E22: The Contamination Case Jan 10, 2020

When police arrived at the scenes where Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies had been dumped, They didn’t have to wear gloves to prevent cross contamination.

On day 22 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, former forensic police officer Robert Hemelaar took the stand for a third day where it was revealed there wasn’t a big focus on preserving a crime scene in the mid 1990s.

He said there was no protocol for wearing gloves and covers for their boots, only that gloves should be worn while handling ‘deceased matter’, for their own safety.

During his cross examination by defence lawyer Paul Yovich, Mr Hemelaar admitted he had handled some evidence - a tree branch - with his bare hands.

The court had been told tree branches had been pulled off nearby trees and placed over both Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies to partially conceal them.

He also said a key piece of evidence, a hair sample from Ciara Glennon which the prosecution says contained fibres matching unique Telstra shorts, the kind issued to Bradley Edwards while he was working at Telstra, had not been videoed while being collected from Ciara’s body. It was revealed that the sample had also not had tamper-proof tape stuck on the container until years after it was collected.

Cross-contamination is the main case the defence has said will provide reasonable doubt about whether Bradley Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they take you through Day 22’s evidence, and answer some of your questions.

If you have a question for the podcast team, send it in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

You can also find all of the exhibits released by Justice Hall at https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-all-the-exhibits-released-to-the-media-in-bradley-edwards-supreme-court-trial-ng-b881415460z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E21: The Broken Fingernails Jan 09, 2020

Former forensic police officer Robert Hemelaar gave his evidence for the whole of day 21 of the Claremont Serial Killings Trial.

He narrated an hour-long video from Ciara Glennon’s burial site, revealing graphic details and forensic clues as to how police collected and stored DNA samples found on the 27-year-old’s body.

Joined in the studio by forensic expert Brendan Chapman, Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton take you through exactly how forensic officers collect samples, and most importantly, how they avoid contamination.

A key piece of evidence was also hinted at during the trial - the fact that some of Ciara Glennon’s fingernails were broken, coupled with the defensive wounds on her arms, the prosecution said that Ciara fought for her life the night she died.

But under those broken fingernails, the prosecution says was Bradley Edwards’ DNA.

Join the Claremont in Conversation team as they take you through day 21 of WA’s trial of the century.

Don’t forget to send your questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E20: The Video too Gruesome to be Shown Jan 08, 2020

On day 20 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, the court was given a glimpse into the life of Jane Rimmer through photographs taken from inside her house days after she went missing, a woman’s life frozen in time.

Images from the 23-year-old child care worker’s house and belongings were shown to the court by former forensic police officer Robert Hemelaar, who searched Jane’s Wembley flat.

Bills, papers, even a KFC voucher had been left on her dining table revealing the life frozen in time of a young woman who was never to return.

When Jane's body was found 55 days later, police swarmed the scene. Today one of those officers, former forensic police officer Robert Hemelaar told in graphic detail how her body was found, and how forensics went about moving her body.

The video officer for police also gave evidence on day 20. Justice Stephen Hall ruled that the vision he took was too distressing to be shown to the public gallery, but as Tim Clarke and The West Australian's court reporter Shannon Hampton explain, they didn't need to see the vision to get a picture of what was happening.

Join Tim Clarke, Natalie Bonjolo and Shannon Hampton as they take you through day 20 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

Send in your questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au, and to see all the exhibits released to the public by Justice Stephen Hall, go to https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-all-the-exhibits-released-to-the-media-in-bradley-edwards-supreme-court-trial-ng-b881415460z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E19: The Crime Scenes Jan 07, 2020

Senior police officers who attended the burial sites of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon's bodies have described the 'mayhem' and 'organised chaos' which became the crime scenes when the women's bodies were found.

In particular, when the body of the third woman to go missing, Ciara Glennon's body was found in shrub land in Eglinton, both police and the media started using the term 'serial killer'.

This intense interest by the media was brought up in court on day 19 of WA's trial of the century. As detectives tried to preserve the scene, camera screws also tried to capture every moment. One senior officer even mentioned one reporter by name, that was 7News journalist Adrian Barich, who he said was arrested on the scene of Ciara Glennon's burial site, but as Adrian explains, as a rookie sports journalist, it was something he'd never expected to witness, and gives us his account of what happened.

The case also focussed around contamination. It was revealed a key piece of evidence which the prosecution says links the Karrakatta rape the murders of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon had been unaccounted for in the WA Police database for almost a year.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, special guest Adrian Barich along with Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they discuss day 19 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

If you have a question for the team, send them in to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au, and to see all of the evidence released by Justice Hall so far, visit https://thewest.com.au/news/claremont-serial-killings/claremont-serial-killings-trial-all-the-exhibits-released-to-the-media-in-bradley-edwards-supreme-court-trial-ng-b881415460z

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E18: The Trial Resumes Jan 06, 2020

After a two-week break, the trial of the century resumed at Perth’s Supreme Court, only to be adjourned again after just half an hour.

The reason? Prosecutors needed to go to a stationary store to buy projector screens to block out gruesome images of the burial sites of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s bodies that were set to be shown as evidence.

The families of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon had voiced their concerns about the evidence being shown to the public, and the judge agreed the vision and images would simply be too distressing.

The court was packed out for the resumption of the trial, so closing the court while the gruesome evidence was shown wasn’t going to be an easy option.

So instead, when video of the day Jane Rimmer’s body was found was shown, only the judge, the lawyers, the witnesses and Bradley Edwards could see it.

Tim Clarke, Natalie Bonjolo and criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps discuss why this was an unusual move, and what it means for the rest of the trial.

Send in your own questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: How to Convict a Killer Jan 05, 2020

Emotional turmoil.

That’s the motive the prosecution say led Bradley Edwards to attack a woman at Hollywood hospital, rape a teenager and kill three women.

Family and friends told of the mild-mannered Bradley Edwards in the first four weeks of the trial. The man who didn’t react when he caught his wife kissing another man in their house, nor reacting to the news of his estranged wife having a baby with her lover.

The prosecution say he didn’t react publicly to these events, instead he took out his emotions on lone, vulnerable women.

Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

The prosecution say they also have DNA and fibre evidence to back up their claim. DNA which they say Bradley Edwards left on his rape victim and Ciara Glennon, as well as on a kimono he left behind after a terrifying home invasion known as “The Huntingdale break in”

But the defence have a case of their own. They say the DNA got on all three samples not through Bradley Edwards committing all of the offences, but through cross contamination.

They also say there’s no evidence of him being in Claremont at the time of the killings because there’s no CCTV evidence of him in the area.

In this bonus episode, hear how the prosecution plan to say Bradley Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

Join us again on Monday January 6 for daily podcasts of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Everything You Need to Know about Claremont Jan 04, 2020

Before WA’s trial of the century resumes for 2020, we take you through the evidence which has been presented so far.

A lot of you have told us the trial jumped around from date to date, so we’ve collated all the evidence and put it in chronological order for you, so you can refresh your memory before jumping into the maze which will be the DNA and fibre evidence.

Starting with the Huntingdale attack, through the disappearance of three women and the discovery of two bodies. Then 19 years after that, in 2016, the arrest of Bradley Robert Edwards, a man who wasn’t even on WA Police’s radar. A Telstra employee and social footy player with a wife and step-daughter.

In this bonus episode, Claremont in Conversation’s Natalie Bonjolo, Alison Fan and Tim Clarke take you through the series of tragic and horrific events which ended in the arrest of Bradley Robert Edwards, taking us to present day, as he stands trial for murder.

Go to thewest.com.au to see the exhibits released during the trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: How The Killings Changed Claremont Dec 29, 2019

Before it was known as the hunting ground for one of WA’s worst serial killers, Claremont was the go-to destination for young people wanting to be seen.

Every weekend the pubs and clubs were packed.

Some of WA’s wealthiest called Claremont home.

And it was safe.

But a rape, followed by three murders changed that. All of the victims were out in this affluent suburb, on their own.

Within the space of nine months, Claremont would never be the same.

Women stayed in packs and men worried they’d be suspected of these horrible crimes.

While Northbridge, another entertainment district of Perth became popular instead.

Even some 20 years later, before an arrest, “The Claremont Serial Killer” was someone generations of West Australians grew up fearing. The killer could still be out there.

Veteran journalist Alison Fan raised her kids in Claremont, covered this case extensively and even helped search for Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer then Ciara Glennon. She grieved with both the Rimmers and Glennons when sadly, their daughters were found murdered.

Alison even interviewed the man police tailed for years as their prime suspect.

Claremont In Conversation host Natalie Bonjolo was in her 20s and going to the same pubs and clubs where the girls disappeared from.

Never letting her friends go home alone, wanting to stay in a pack, she tells of the fear bubble which surrounded Claremont that didn’t exist anywhere else.

In this bonus episode, join Natalie, Alison and Criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps as they tell their stories of being around Claremont at the time of these crimes, and how it changed a suburb and a State forever.

Tell us your stories from Claremont at claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au, and stay tuned for more bonus episodes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: Your Questions Answered Dec 21, 2019

If Bradley Edwards is convicted, will he be asked where Sarah Spiers is? Why wasn’t Lance Williams eliminated as a suspect earlier? Will Bradley Edwards be cross-examined?

In this bonus episode, criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps and The West Australian's legal affairs editor Tim Clarke answer some of the burning questions you’ve had from the trial of the century.

We’ve received hundreds of questions from listeners all over the world and hope to answer as many as we can.

From true crime fans, to those who remember growing up in Perth at the peak of the crimes, this trial has captivated so many.

Keep the questions coming in at claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

Stay tuned to Claremont The Trial podcast over the Christmas break for more bonus episodes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E17: Death Lilies Dec 17, 2019

It was by pure-chance Jane Rimmer's body was found.

A woman driving with her husband and children driving in Wellard stopped on the side of the road after a rooster ran out. Kids being kids, they wanted to chase it.

The mother, Tammy Evans decided to pick some death lilies and out of the corner of her eye, 'the biggest death lily' she had ever seen popped into view.

Before grabbing onto it, something brushed her leg. She thought it was a stick, but it was a foot. That was the only feature that assured Tammy that what she had stumbled across was human.

She had found Jane Rimmer's body. While her husband went for help, she said she just couldn't leave Jane and stayed with her until police arrived.

That was August 3, 1996.

The third victim, Ciara Glennon went missing on March 15, 1997. With two women missing and one dead, the state was on high alert.

Then, the day police had been dreading, a second body found.

April 3, 1997, a man looking for wild cannabis leaves came across Ciara Glennon's body off a bush track in Eglington, 40 kms north of Perth.

The headline in the West Australian newspaper the next day said it all: "The State is in Mourning."

He said he thought a kangaroo had died, and being 'nosey' he went to check if a joey was in its pouch, but instead found the body of the 27-year-old.

On the final day of the trial for the year, the court also heard from the men the prosecution called 'The Burger Boys' - one of which yelled to her that she was 'stupid for hitch hiking'

The prosecution reached the end of their 'civilian witnesses', next year will see what has been described as 'the battle of the scientists', the DNA and fibre evidence which is so crucial to this case.

We will be checking emails during the Christmas break, so please send your questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E16: Ciara’s Last Night Dec 16, 2019

March 14, 1997 was the last time Ciara Glennon was seen alive. She’s been at a work function, by all accounts she didn’t want to go out that night, because she had her sister's hen's night the next night. But she was convinced to go out to Claremont.

She’d only been back in Perth for two weeks, after travelling for six months. In this podcast, Tim Clarke and Damien Cripps ask whether she had known about the other missing girls as well as the rest of Perth, simply because she wasn’t in the country when Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer went missing.

In May 1997, WA Police released a re-enactment of Ciara’s final hours in a desperate attempt to jog someone’s memory of the night of March 14, and the early hours of March 15 1997.

11 people did see Ciara that night. On day 16 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, They gave evidence of seeing a woman matching Ciara’s description walking alone on Stirling Highway. Some witnesses say they saw her talking to a man in a white car, even starting to get in.

In a tragic premonition, a worker at a Thai restaurant over the road from where she was last seen even made a passing comment that “she might be the next girl to go.”

Ciara’s body was found 19 days later near a scrub track in Eglington, 40 km north of Perth.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps as they dissect day 16 and answer listener questions.

Send in your own questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E15: The Grim Discovery Dec 13, 2019

On August 3, 1996 - 55 days after 23-year-old child care worker Jane Rimmer went missing, a woman picking flowers with her family found her body.

She immediately told her husband who rushed for help.

Jane’s body was badly decomposed, covered in leaves and small shrubs.

Meanwhile a couple riding horses nearby found a knife on the ground not too far away.

When they reached the woman who found the body, she told them she had stayed with Jane because “she didn’t want to leave her alone.”

We heard a witness break down on the stand today as she recalled that day Jane’s body was found.

We also heard from the woman who could be one of the last people to see Ciara Glennon alive on March 14,1997.

During her testimony, for the first time, we heard about the police investigation and the man who was the prime suspect, subjected to years of being watched by police, pretty obviously as well.

As Alison Fan - the only journalist to interview Lance Williams while he was a suspect - explained, as soon as she finished talking to him, she called the Assistance WA Police Commissioner and told him they had the wrong guy.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they wrap up week three of the Claremont Serial Killings Trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E14: The Scream That Suddenly Stopped Dec 12, 2019

The night Jane Rimmer disappeared, on June 9, 1996, two couples - separately - heard blood-curdling, ’traumatic’ screams.

One witness recalled hearing a scream that just suddenly stopped. Then silence.

The two couples lived in the then-rural area on the outskirts of Perth called Wellard.

55 days later Jane’s body would be found in bushland in between their houses.

As The West’s Emily Moulton - who has been live blogging the court proceedings - explains, one couple remembered a smell coming from just off the road as they regularly drove past. They said they dismissed it as a dead animal.

Day 14 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial also recounted Ciara Glennon’s final night.

She was the last woman to go missing. She had only been home for two weeks from 6 months abroad when she disappeared.

Her parents were on high alert at this stage in March 1997, with two girls missing and one their bodies having been found, as soon as they reported their daughter missing, police swooped.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Emily Moulton and Tim Clarke as they discuss day 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E13: The Guess Watch Dec 11, 2019

Jane Rimmer disappeared in the early hours of June 9, 1996 from Claremont. her body was found 55 days later on August 3 in bushland in Wellard.

On June 9, 1996, a man was riding a horse in Wellard, when his horse spooked. He fell off and found a guess watch.

That watch turned out to be Jane Rimmer's.

Day 13 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial heard the man didn't report the watch to police until after Jane's Body was found. It turns out he fell just two metres from where her body was dumped.

Before she disappeared, friends of Jane Rimmer relived the decision the 23-year-old made to stay out alone while her friends caught a taxi home the night she disappeared.

One friend, Lynda Donovan remembered a conversation she had with an emotional Jane the night she disappeared - a typical conversation many friends have had after a few drinks, only now it's a heartbreaking reminder of her friend, and her feelings about herself that night.

The court was shown more CCTV of the night Jane Rimmer was last seen alive, also, for the first time, vision of Ciara Glennon in Claremont was shown.

But probably the most important part of this vision was what wasn't able to be seen - Bradley Edwards.

The man the prosecution says killed Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon was nowhere to be seen.

Police said out of all of the vision they've managed to obtain from the nights the two women disappeared, there's no evidence of the man the prosecution say killed the two women in any of the vision.

Criminal defence lawyer Tom Percy QC joins Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke to discuss why the day's proceedings go little way to proving Bradley Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E12: Jane’s Last Night Dec 10, 2019

The last pictures of Jane Rimmer alive were shown to a stunned court room on day 12.

The images of the smiling and laughing 23-year-old was shown to the people in the court, who watched on in silence for the entire time the videos were played.

Jane was last seen outside Club Bayview in Claremont at 12.04am on June 8, 1996. At the time, the security cameras recorded on a loop, only capturing 13 seconds at a time.

The CCTV shows Jane standing outside the club. The security vision flicks over to other cameras around the club, and 32 seconds later it comes back to that same spot, but Jane is gone.

32 seconds is all it took for Jane Rimmer to vanish.

It wouldn’t be until almost 2 months later that she would be found. Her body found in bushland in Wellard, half an hour south of Claremont. She’d been murdered, her throat cut.

As Natalie Bonjolo, Alison Fan and Tim Clarke discuss, how different this investigation would be if those security cameras flicked over at different times, would we see what happened to Jane in her final night?

The ‘sliding doors’ moments The West’s Tim Clarke has described before have become a theme in this case.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E11: The Karrakatta Rape Dec 09, 2019

**WARNING: this episode contains distressing content***

The terrifying, graphic and distressing account of a regular night-turned living nightmare of a teenager, who was abducted and raped by Bradley Edwards was read to the court on day 11 of his murder trial.

In February 1995, the 17-year-old was walking to a friends’ house from a night out in Claremont, when she was grabbed from behind, a cloth was shoved in her mouth, her hands were tied and a hood placed over her head.

Completely helpless, she was carried to a car, driven to a cemetery and raped.

Bradley Edwards was charged with her rape, along with the three murders in 2016, but up until this year had always maintained his innocence. That was until three weeks before his trial, he pleaded guilty to the rape.

Today, the victim’s words - taken from a police statement days after the attack - echoed through the court room, and even though it was read out by the lead prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo, as Tim Clarke explains, he’s sure almost everyone in that room was affected by her harrowing, and graphic account.

We know Bradley Edwards is a rapist, but the prosecution want to argue he's also a murderer, and her statement will help them try to prove that.

In this episode, hear the defence argument that shocked the podcast team.

To read some of the rape victim’s statement, go to thewest.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Bonus Episode: The Third Wheel Dec 08, 2019

In this bonus episode, by popular demand we take you through the evidence given by the man now known as the ‘third wheel’ in Bradley Edwards’ marriage to his first wife.

The bizarre living arrangement, affair and pregnancy which the prosecution say led to the ‘emotional turmoil’ which caused Bradley Edwards to kill Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer, then Ciara Glennon.

Salacious and intimate details were revealed in court, as the man who came in between the accused Claremont Serial Killer and his first wife gave his evidence.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E10: The Huntingdale Attack Dec 06, 2019

On Valentine’s Day in 1988 in Huntingdale, a teenager went to bed alone after spending the day with her boyfriend.

She was woken up by someone lying on top of her. Thinking it was her boyfriend, she said she didn’t feel scared. That was until she touched that person’s face. The person lying on top of her wasn’t her boyfriend, but was an intruder.

That intruder was Bradley Robert Edwards, who pleaded guilty to the attack 30 years later.

Day 10 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial heard from victim, as she told of her ordeal, and of the kimono that was left behind after the attack.

That kimono would become crucial in the police investigation, and the prosecution’s case against Bradley Edwards.

The day also heard from the family of the second woman to disappear, Jane Rimmer, and the ordinary day that would turn out to be her last.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan as they dissect the day’s events.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E9: Missing Sarah Dec 05, 2019

The voice of Sarah Spiers haunted the court as her final phone call, a call to a taxi service was played during evidence on day nine.

Sarah Spiers was last seen in the early hours of January 27, 1996. She was out with friends at Club Bay View, and just after 2am decided to go leave. Alone. She called a taxi to take her to Mosman Park, but she never got there.

Today, we heard from one of those friends she was out with that night, recalling the final words she ever said to her friend.

The prosecution say, instead of getting home in a taxi, Bradley Edwards picked her up and murdered her.

The court heard from three people who heard screams in Mosman Park at around 3am that night, describing the 'blood curdling screams' that have stayed with them for more than two decades.

It was a highly emotional day, with a statement read out from Sarah's sister Amanda, a court room in tears and a witness consoled as she left the stand after giving her evidence.

Justice Hall said he has decided not to release Sarah's last phone call to the public, because he believed it would cause undue stress to her family. The West's Legal Affairs Editor Tim Clarke was in court and describes the the moment her voice was played for the second time in this trial.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton as they dissect day nine of the Claremont Serial Killings trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E8: The 'Sliding Doors' Moments Dec 04, 2019

A taxi driver who accepted a job at 2am, a man who saw a lone woman on the side of the road, and the missing minutes of the last time Sarah Spiers was ever seen.

Three minutes was all it took for the 18-year-old to disappear. She called for a taxi at 2.03am on January 27, by the time the taxi arrived at 2.06am, she was gone.

Day eight of WA's trial of the century tried to shed some light on that time, with the taxi driver who was supposed to pick her up taking the stand, as well as a man who could have been the last person to have ever seen Sarah Spiers in a 15-second glance.

The day also heard from more women who say they had encounters with a man in a white Telstra van in the mid-1990s in the Cottesloe and Claremont areas, known as "The Telstra Living Witnesses", and as podcast guest, criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps explains, why it could be a misunderstanding.

Join Damien, along with Natalie Bonjolo and Tim Clarke as they dissect the day's events.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E7: Ten Seconds of Terror Dec 03, 2019

It was massive day in court, with eight witnesses taking the stand, including the woman who was attacked from behind by the accused Claremont Serial Killer, Bradley Robert Edwards in 1990, who spoke about her ordeal publicly for the first time.

He pleaded guilty and was convicted on common assault.

As Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Alison Fan discuss, her testimony was animated and detailed, and she recounted the terrifying ordeal, now known as "The Hollywood Hospital Incident" like it was yesterday, the day she said she thought she was going to die.

For the first time, it was revealed that Western Australian Police were looking into Telstra vehicles as early as July 1996, just a month after Jane Rimmer went missing and before Ciara Glennon was murdered.

The court also heard from three other women, known as 'The Telstra Living Witnesses' who the prosecution say had close encounters with a man in a white van, driving around Cottesloe and Claremont picking up vulnerable women.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E6: A Man in Uniform Dec 02, 2019

As a new week of evidence starts in the Claremont Serial Killings trial, the court took on a different format for the day.

While the court waited to hear from the man who impregnated Bradley Edwards' first wife, two former Telstra employees gave evidence, and they were asked - very specifically - about uniforms.

The West's legal affairs editor Tim Clarke explains why the specific colour of the Telstra uniforms, when they were issued and the process of ordering them is so important to this trial.

Stay tuned to Claremont In Conversation to hear the details of the affair that the prosecution say led Bradley Edwards to kill Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E5: The Missing Hours Nov 29, 2019

In what’s already been a week of bombshells, day five, despite being a shorter day, was no exception.

Former friends of Bradley Edwards, a couple named Murray and Brigita Maria Cook took the stand.

Mr Cook told of his annoyance when Edwards never showed up to a pre-planned holiday in Dawesville, an hour south of Perth, on March 14 1997 - the night Ciara Glennon disappeared.

He said Edwards told him he was trying to reconcile with his wife, who told the court on an earlier day that he never tried to reconcile with her.

In an eerie admission, Mrs Cook said they had no TV and no radio, so they didn’t know Ciara Glennon was missing.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Alison Fan and Tim Clarke (in the studio) as they discuss the days’ events, as Tim described them, a reverse-alibi.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E4: Ex Wives and Sex Lives Nov 28, 2019

Day four of the Claremont Serial Killings trial saw a parade of Bradley Edwards’ former lovers take the stand, with intimate details told to the court.

Two of Edwards’ former lovers told of their brief relationships with him, one saying she was ‘fond’ of Edwards.

Day four was also the first day Bradley Edwards appeared to show emotion, seeming to smile as home videos during his time with his second wife were played to the court.

But when his second wife took the stand, she revealed the meticulously detailed journals she kept of his bank statements.

Journals she kept because she said she ‘feared for her life’.

Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and Emily Moulton discuss day four.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E3: The First Witness Nov 27, 2019

The first witness, Bradley Edwards’ first wife took the stand on day three of the Claremont Serial Killings Trial. Her name and identity has been suppressed.

She revealed their bizarre living arrangements, as well as intimate details of their life as husband and wife including an obsession with a computer, an affair and pregnancy that saw the end of their relationship.

All while prosecutors tried to paint a picture of how emotional turmoil experienced by Mr Edwards coincided with the disappearance of Sarah Spiers, and the deaths of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and The West's court reporter Emily Moulton as they discuss day three.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E2: The DNA Twist Nov 26, 2019

The defence’s opening statement may have only taken 25-minutes, but in that time, Bradley Robert Edwards' defence lawyer, Paul Yovich dropped a bombshell.

He claimed crucial DNA samples - which the prosecution will use as evidence to prove Bradley Edwards is the Claremont Serial Killer - had been contaminated by lab scientists.

Day Two also heard the movie-like investigation of how Bradley Edwards came to be charged with murder.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and veteran journalist Alison Fan as they discuss the Claremont Serial Killings Trial.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E1: Claremont: the trial begins Nov 25, 2019

A never-before heard phone call Sarah Spiers made in the hours before she disappeared. Descriptions of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon’s final movements, and gruesome evidence shown to a packed-out court on the first day of the accused Claremont Serial Killer, Bradley Robert Edwards’ trial.

Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and legal experts, criminal defence lawyer Damien Cripps and Barrister Nicholas van Hattem as they discuss Day 1 of the trial WA has waited 23 years for.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Claremont: S2 Trailer Nov 22, 2019

As the trial of the century gets underway in Perth, Western Australia, Seven West Media journalists take you inside the courtroom.

Two girls dead, one missing, presumed murdered. The Claremont serial killings, as they have come to be known, struck fear into West Australians for 23 years. Now, the man accused, Bradley Robert Edwards faces trial.

Join us daily for an in-depth conversation with reporters who covered the case of the Claremont serial killings from the start and legal experts who will discuss the case in a language you can understand.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S1E4: The case against Bradley Robert Edwards Mar 25, 2019

Years pass and with the public losing hope that the horrific mystery will ever be solved, a new suspect emerges. Telecommunications technician Bradley Robert Edwards is arrested in a dawn raid. The 50-year-old pleads not guilty and will stand trial for three murders, rape and abduction. So what is the police case against him? And is it possible that police missed a link that could have led them to the accused man than a decade ago?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S1E3: The Wrong Man Mar 15, 2019

As the hunt for a serial killer who has struck three times in Claremont continues, police train a laser focus on one very peculiar man who admits to driving the streets and picking up at least one woman. But the man’s mother says enough is enough.

A TV reporter spends an hour with the suspect in his beachside apartment, quizzing him over the case. She concludes that detectives are pursuing the wrong man and contacts the father of one victim to share her view.

Now, more than 20 years later, a former police commissioner says that suspect and his family are owed an apology.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S1E2: Taskforce, Tears and a Suspect Mar 08, 2019

One woman missing, one woman murdered. A city gripped by fear. Then Ciara Glennon vanishes off the streets of Claremont. As her grieving father takes up the hunt, police launch the biggest murder taskforce in Australian history. But when their focus narrows on a suspect, the question is asked: have police got the wrong man?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S1E1: A Killer Strikes Twice Feb 27, 2019

It's 1996 and a young, blonde girl stands on the side of the road in Claremont and calls a taxi. By the time it arrives, Sarah Spiers is gone.

A few months later and Jane Rimmer is out with friends in Claremont when she, too, disappears. Her body was found weeks later.

As police desperately hunted a serial killer a third young woman, Ciara Glennon, was snatched and killed.

The West Australian's Gary Adshead takes you inside the Claremont Serial Killings, the biggest criminal investigation in Australian history and a tale which haunts an entire city.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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