The accused Claremont serial killer has elected not to take the stand at his trial while the prosecution has abandoned its “emotional upset” argument that the killings corresponded to key moments in the deterioration of his first marriage.
The Supreme Court of Western Australia trial of Bradley Robert Edwards has run for more than five months.
The former Telstra technician is fighting charges he murdered secretary Sarah Spiers, childcare worker Jane Rimmer and solicitor Ciara Glennon in 1996 and 1997.
On Wednesday, after the state closed its case, it emerged the prosecution was not pursuing the emotional turmoil evidence.
Justice Stephen Hall asked Edwards directly if he would take the stand and he replied he would not, but would adduce evidence, which his lawyer said was a report relating to weather.
He did not call any witnesses, so the defence case is also closed.
The trial is now adjourned until June 8, when oral submissions will begin, followed by closing addresses.
Justice Hall is then expected to take several months to deliver his verdict.
Earlier, the state’s final witness Detective Senior Sergeant Joseph Marrapodi finished giving his evidence and taking the court through video of the 51-year-old’s interview following his dramatic arrest in December 2016.
The month before the trial started, Edwards admitted abducting a teenager from a Claremont park and raping her at nearby Karrakatta cemetery in 1995, and breaking into a Huntingdale home and indecently assaulting a woman as she slept in 1988.
But when detectives interviewed him on and off for about 14 hours, he repeatedly denied everything.
His cheek was swabbed during the interview and he was warned when the pathology laboratory returned its findings hours later.
The prosecution says Edwards’ DNA was found on a kimono he left behind at the Huntingdale house, on the rape victim and underneath Ms Glennon’s fingernails, some of which broke off as she fought her attacker.
“Brace yourself, Bradley – I have some results here,” Det Snr Sgt Joseph Marrapodi said in the video.
“Your DNA sample was a positive result.”
There were long stretches of silence in between Edwards breathing deeply as he held his head in his hand.
“How can that be? I don’t understand that,” the former Telstra technician said.
“I didn’t do any of this.”
The detective then asked him to explain how his DNA came to be on the rape victim.
“How can I explain it? You’re assuming I’ve done it,” Edwards replied.
The ex-Little Athletics coach was then shown a photograph of Ms Glennon and told the same DNA had been recovered from her body, which was dumped in bushland.
“What happened Bradley?” the detective asked.
“I don’t know. I wish I could explain it and say I was wherever,” Edwards replied.
He was also shown a photo of the kimono and claimed he’d never seen it before.
-AAP
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