Police join Family Court registries to fight domestic violence

Family Court registries have made a major change in their staff make-up as authorities hope to prevent horrific crimes like the brutal murder by monster dad John Edwards of his two children.

Police officers and child welfare officials have become embedded in most Family Court registries to provide real time details of domestic violence in the wake of the brutal murder by monster dad John Edwards of his two children.

The inquest into the deaths of Jack, 15, and Jennifer, 13, Edwards found they were let down by serious operational stuff-ups by police and other agencies despite the teenagers and their mother Olga reporting their years of abuse and violence at the hands of John Edwards.

NSW State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan found the deaths of the brother and sister were preventable and they were let down by a series of “errors and omissions” by a family court lawyer, police and firearms registry staff.

She called for better information sharing between the gun registry, police and the family court which would have saved the teenagers who were shot dead by their father in 2018 as they hid beneath a desk in Jack’s bedroom. John and Olga Edwards had been separated for two years by then and Ms Edwards later killed herself.

Family Court judges have reported that having police and welfare officials in the registries has meant they can make decisions more quickly and with the full knowledge of prior involvement by police or child protection agencies in their cases. Figures show that 76 per cent of parties in the court have experienced family violence.

Jack Edwards.

Jennifer Edwards.

It has slashed the number of subpoenas for information to child protection agencies and police and the time delay in receiving the material.

The court has reported faster information sharing which has mitigated risks to child and family safety with Federal funding extended another two years to 2025.

Olga Edwards and John Edwards.

“It is hoped that funding will continue beyond that date to ensure that this important initiative continues,” a Family Court spokeswoman said yesterday.

“The co-location program is part of a suite of initiatives used by the Family Court that focus on the protection of children and vulnerable parties.

“The courts’ priorities are to shine a light on the scourge of family violence, improve the outcome of matters involving family violence, and to keep children and vulnerable parties safe.”

She described it as an “incredibly important step towards bridging the gap and sharing information across the various systems”.

NSW State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan said the deaths of the Edwards children could have been prevented. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

Handing down her findings after the inquest in the deaths of the Edwards family, Ms O’Sullivan said that the evidence had shown that Olga, Jack and Jennifer had disclosed their experience of violence and abuse perpetrated by John to multiple agencies, entities and professionals in the police and the family law system.

“Sadly, none were able to effectively mobilise to protect Jack, Jennifer or Olga,” she said.

“Similarly the regulatory framework did not prevent John from obtaining firearms licences, lawfully purchasing firearms or from meticulously planning and carrying out the killing of his children.”

The firearms registry has undergone a massive overhaul.

It can be revealed that next week Family Court Chief Justice William Alstergren will announce a new triage system for battling families to report problems including family violence, child abuse or neglect, mental health or drug and alcohol abuse called the Lighthouse Initiative.

The house where two kids were murdered by their father. Picture: Jenny Evans

Heartbreaking details of children’s fear

Jack Edwards 15, and his sister Jennifer, 13, were at their West Pennant Hills home on Thursday July 5, 2018 when their father, John Edwards, turned up at their door at 5:20pm with two handguns.

He had hired a car to stalk the children so they would not recognise him when he pulled up outside.

They opened the door to be confronted by the terrifying sight of their father and, as they ran, he coldly hunted them down.

“They were trying to hide in a bedroom and were huddled together when he opened fire,” a senior police officer said.

“What a selfish coward.”

A man removed cleaning items at the house following the murders. Picture Jenny Evans

John shot them both dead in a bedroom. He later shot himself dead at his Normanhurst home.

He timed his evil attack to wreak maximum havoc, gunning down his children after school just before the end of term when he knew they would be alone — and not long before their mother, his ex-wife Olga Edwards, 36, was due to arrive home from work.

People laid flowers and paid their respects. Picture: Jenny Evans

Olga was left devastated by the murder of her two children, and five months later, she took her own life in the same house.

John, who was due to turn 68 the week after, obtained his firearms licence the year before as soon as the law permitted — almost 10 years to the day after an apprehended violence order imposed on him had expired.

He purchased the two guns earlier in 2018 and was seen on CCTV collecting the weapons from their storage at a gun club in the 24 hours before committing the heinous murders.

Friends and family paid tribute to Jack and Jennifer, who attended West Pennant Hills High School and Gosford High School respectively, by laying flowers and handwritten messages outside their home.

– written with Ava-Benny Morrison, Janet Fife-Yeomans, Ashleigh Gleeson, Mark Morri and Danielle Gusmaroli