https://www.watoday.com.au/national...ial-as-date-set-for-2019-20181218-p50mx6.html
During a court hearing on Tuesday to set the date, prosecution lawyer Carmel Barbagallo revealed the state would be providing significant amounts of evidence relating to DNA, fibre and hair analysis.
DNA evidence was specifically referenced in relation to Ms Glennon and the alleged Karrakatta Cemetery victim.
Ms Barbagallo said the prosecution would be relying on expert analysis provided by Pathwest, the Chem Centre and Cell Mark - a United Kingdom-based DNA firm specialising in relationship and sibling DNA testing.
The state will also reference "stories" allegedly authored by or downloaded onto Mr Edwards’ computer which the prosecution claims will go towards its propensity evidence.
Bradley Edwards' legal team led by Paul Yovich (left). CREDIT:AAP
Propensity evidence is evidence which alleges an accused person has previously engaged in similar acts to those they are being trialled for.
Defence lawyer Paul Yovich indicated he would likely object to the admissibility of the computer evidence based on its reliability.
Mr Edwards’ defence team will argue wholly against the admissabilty of the state’s propensity evidence during a February hearing.
Upon commencement of the trial in July, Tuesday's hearing revealed the state plans to call three witnesses from Telstra, where Mr Edwards worked his entire adult life before being arrested.
The witnesses will provide details about Mr Edwards’ employment records, personal leave and his work vehicles.
Statements from around 20 taxi drivers and a sole statement from Swan Taxis will also likely form part of the state’s brief, as will manufacturer evidence relating to Mr Edwards’ Holden Commodore.
The state prosecution intends to provide all its evidence to the defence team by mid-February to allow time for Mr Edwards’ legal team to engage its own experts to review the material.
Mr Yovich told Justice Stephen Hall the volume of material so far received in relation to the state’s DNA evidence was “substantial”.
He also said the amount of material relating to the state’s fibre and hair reports was “significant”, and may require assessment by an international expert.
In relation to the computer-based evidence, Mr Yovich said if the state was unable to confirm the dates the material was downloaded, created or accessed, he would object to its admissibility.
Mr Edwards, who appeared via video link from Hakea Prison, spoke only to confirm his name during Tuesday’s proceedings.
Family members of Ms Spiers and Ms Glennon were in the public gallery.
During a previous court hearing it was revealed the state would allege there are additional complainants against Mr Edwards, whose names have been suppressed.
The former Little Athletics volunteer was arrested by WA Police at his Kewdale home in December 2016 and is expected to remain in custody until the completion of the trial.
The trial brief includes more than 1.5 million pages, 400 gigabytes of data and about 2500 witness statements, with the prosecution's case against Mr Edwards expected to take up to eight months to be heard.
The judge-alone trial will be heard and decided by Justice Hall.
The bodies of Ms Rimmer, a childcare worker, and Ms Glennon, a lawyer, were discovered in bushland weeks after they were killed, but the body of Ms Spiers, a secretary, has never been found.
All three women were last seen in the Claremont entertainment strip in Perth's affluent western suburbs after a night out.