AN IRISHWOMAN KILLED in Australia in 1997 had cuts consistent with “sawing”, a Western Australia court has heard. 

50-year-old confessed rapist Bradley Robert Edwards is fighting claims he murdered Irishwoman Ciara Glennon (27), Sarah Spiers (18) and Jane Rimmer (23) after nights out at pubs in 1996 and 1997. 

Glennon, who was a lawyer, moved to Australia with her Irish family when she was five years old. She disappeared at the age of 27.

Police initially struggled to pin the blame of the deaths on anyone and followed thousands of leads before arresting Bradley Edwards (48) at a home in a Perth suburb in December 2016.

Glennon and Rimmer were found dumped in bushland, largely hidden under foliage, at opposite ends of Perth. 

Both had cuts to their necks and other areas consistent with “sawing”, and also suffered injuries indicating self-defence, prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo told the West Australia Supreme Court during her opening address yesterday. 

In court, Edwards confirmed his not guilty pleas to murdering the three women. 

The court heard the last recording of Spiers’ voice as she called for a taxi. 

It also saw CCTV footage of Rimmer at the Continental Hotel shortly before she was abducted and a blacked out photo of Glennon’s body dumped in bushland. 

Glennon was seen walking briskly away from the entertainment district, “anxious to get home” and either accepted a lift or was “abducted in a blitz attack”, the court heard.

The body of the first victim, Sarah Spiers, has never been found. 

However, there are other ways to prove Edwards is guilty of the crime, the prosecutor told the trial. 

Comments are closed as legal proceedings are ongoing.

With reporting by Hayley Halpin