Claremont killer fails to lodge appeal against murder convictions

The families of Claremont killer Bradley Edwards’ victims would be feeling some relief on Wednesday after the convicted murderer failed to lodge an appeal against his conviction.

The 52-year-old had until 4pm – 21 days since his sentencing date – to lodge an appeal over Justice Stephen Hall’s decision to find him guilty of the murders of Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon in the mid-1990s.

Bradley Robert Edwards.

He could have also lodged an appeal against his minimum 40-year jail sentence.

It was expected the former Telstra technician would continue to fight the murder convictions after members of his family began contacting lawyers within hours of his guilty verdict being handed down in September.

However, a Legal Aid application made by Edwards on November 9 was rejected by the state government on December 1.

Jane Rimmer.

The knock-back meant Edwards would have to privately fund any appeal after the taxpayer footed the $3.3 million bill for his legal team during his first trial, which went for 95 sitting days.

Funds from the eventual sale of Edwards’ Kewdale home, purchased with his second wife for $135,000 in 2000, have already been reserved to help pay his original Legal Aid bill.

The door has not completely closed for Edwards to appeal, however, with the option still available for him to make an application ‘out of time’.

The prosecution’s case against Edwards centred on his DNA, found underneath Ms Glennon’s fingernails, and fibres from his Telstra work pants and vehicle found on both Ms Glennon and Ms Rimmer’s bodies, along with the similar manner in which they disappeared and died.

His previous conviction for abducting and raping a teenager from Claremont a year before the murders begun also formed part of the propensity evidence.

He was found not guilty of murdering Sarah Spiers, 18, whose body has never been found.

Ciara Glennon.