He was flown in especially from the UK to give evidence at the Claremont Serial Killings trial. He’s considered the prosecution’s star witness for DNA.
Why?
Because he helped develop the Low Copy Number technique that found the male DNA profile - which the prosecution says is Bradley Edwards’ DNA - on Ciara Glennon’s fingernail samples when no one else could.
Dr Jonathan Whitaker has given evidence at some of the biggest trials around the world, including the now-famous Australian trial which convicted Bradley John Murdoch for the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio.
But part of his evidence in what could be considered one of WA’s most famous trials, did catch our DNA expert by surprise, in fact, Forensic DNA Expert Brendan Chapman said it could be controversial if left unchallenged.
Our forensic expert breaks down the complicated DNA evidence into an easy-to-understand language on day 58 of WA’s trial of the century.
As we get to the end of the DNA portion of the trial, What Tim Clarke thinks of today’s evidence, why today’s witness is so important, and what’s to come next.
Don’t forget to send in your questions to claremontpodcast@wanews.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E58: The Prosecution’s Star DNA Witness

Ever since the shocking deaths of three young women in 1996 and 1997, the unanswered questions surrounding the Claremont serial killings have remained one of the biggest mysteries in WA history.
Any hope of justice in the tragic deaths of Ciara Glennon, Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer seemed bleak for more than 20 years, with police coming unstuck and no sign of a breakthrough.
That was until the arrest of Bradley Robert Edwards in 2016, who was subsequently charged with the trio's murders.
For the past three years details about the allegations facing Mr Edwards have been in short supply as his case headed toward what has been dubbed the trial of the century.
Now, we bring you in to the courtroom and walk you through all the revelations, allegations and talking points as the historic court case unfolds.
Join our team of journalists and legal experts as we break down all the key information from the proceedings in Claremont: The Trial.

News

True crime

After 20 years of hiding in plain sight, sadistic killer and brutal rapist Bradley Edwards will likely never leave jail and die without his freedom, after he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 40 years.
If he makes it that long, he will be 88, taking into consideration time served.
But that just means in 2060 he can apply for parole, it doesn't mean he'll be released.
As Justice Hall revealed his sentence, more than a year since his trial began and almost four years to the day since he was arrested, he told Edwards he would likely die in jail.
"You committed these offences as a much younger man and have had the undeserved benefit of your liberty for many years due to the fact that it took many years to identify you as the perpetrator," he said.
Those offences, he committed in his 20s, but one of his victims, who was 17 at the time bravely told of how the sadistic rapist's act 25 years ago changed her, but wouldn't define her. Her powerful words left even seasoned police officers holding back tears.
“the definition of a coward," The Karrakatta victim said.
“He preyed on weak, vulnerable young women who didn’t stand a chance."
“How pathetic. It has been much easier in terms of impact to realise there was no evil genius at work here, he slipped through the cracks because he is unremarkable.”
"And now I will leave this behind. I will leave this courtroom and finally go and live my life without you in it. I will live it joyously, respectfully and gratefully for myself, my family and for the lives that were lost. I will live and you won’t."
"And as one of the victims of your crimes, I hope you are treated as well in prison as you have treated us."
Even though he didn't give a life without parole sentence, Lee Rimmer, Jane's sister said he was happy, and WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson spoke for a community.
“It is my sincere hope, for the sake of the victims, for the sake of the families and friends and indeed for the safety of our community, that Edwards will never be released from prison,” Mr Dawson said.
In this final podcast, Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Damien Cripps digest, analyse and take in the sentence - and the case that's gripped the state for more than two decades. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E103: THE SENTENCING: 'Coward' Edwards likely to die in prison

Join the Claremont in Conversation team in this special live event at the University of Western Australia.
Hear stories never told in court, anecdotes from sitting days and opinions from the journalists who covered the mammoth seven-month trial.
You'll also hear some details from Tim Clarke's book, Enigma of the Dark.
To get a copy, head to https://subscriber.thewest.com.au/enigmaofthedark?utm_source=TheWest&utm;_medium=PromoCard&utm;_campaign=ClaremontBookPreOrder&utm;_term=order-now&utm;_content=Content or find Enigma of the Dark on Amazon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2Enigma of the Dark: Claremont the Trial LIVE

Should Bradley Edwards be allowed to participate in rehabilitation programs in prison? Or should the prison just 'throw away the key'?
Legal expert Damien Cripps joins Natalie Bonjolo in this last episode until the sentencing, discussing how Edwards might be sentenced, and answer some of your questions.
Damien Cripps said Edwards' sentencing will be a difficult task for Justice Hall, and discusses several avenues of how the prosecution and defence will present their cases to the judge.
You've sent in some very interesting questions, and Damien Cripps gives his professional and personal opinion.
We'll be back on December 23 when Bradley Edwards is sentenced on The Huntingdale attack, Karrakatta rape, and Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon's murders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E102: How Long Could Edwards Stay Behind Bars?

Former homicide detective Paul Ferguson has put away his fair share of bad guys. The retired police officer was in charge of the MACRO Taskforce when it was created, after Jane Rimmer disappeared in June 1996, but before that, he worked on, and helped catch one of WA's most infamous serial killer couples - David and Catherine Birnie.
But the disappearances of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon was one of the cases that not only haunted WA, but many of the police officers who worked it.
The retired detective even interviewed the man he put behind bars, David Birnie, to try and get an insight into the mind of a serial killer.
He investigated when Sarah Spiers went missing. From the start, it was clear it wasn't just another missing woman. The Spiers family and police were onto it straight away. More than 2,000 posters, 20,000 flyers and 50 buses with Sarah's face were distributed throughout Perth.
Police had no idea how she was abducted, or even where she was. The search spanned all over the Perth region, from Black Wall Reach, to Midland, to Serpentine Falls. Sarah had disappeared without a trace.
In this podcast, Paul Ferguson reveals where he thinks Sarah Spiers is.
Five months after the 18-year-old disappeared, he recalls the call he took, the call that police knew was coming, but were dreading. Another woman had gone missing.
"The fact that we didn't know how that Sarah had been abducted, the fact that there'd been no commotion and the fact that her body hadn't been found was of major concern through the inquiry team and WA Police.  And then of course the worst thing that could have happened was another girl go missing from the same area," he told the Claremont in Conversation podcast team.
He admitted the disappearance of Ciara Glennon was a blur, because the investigation had become so intense.
Join Natalie Bonjolo, Tim Clarke and special guests former head of MACRO Paul Ferguson and former WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan as they take you inside Australia's longest running and most expensive murder investigation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E101: Inside the MACRO Taskforce

Bradley Edwards hid in plain sight for more than two decades, but what he didn’t realise, was that he was just simply hidden, and that meant he could still be found.
His DNA was found under Ciara Glennon’s fingernails. She fought for her life, and in that fight, she scratched her killer and hid a part of him to be found by scientists years later.
Dr Jonathan Whitaker is the scientist who found a male DNA profile from the microscopic DNA fragments found under Ciara Glennon’s fingernails.
His testing and retesting of Ciara’s fingernail samples at FSS in the UK in 2008 was the pivotal turning point in the MACRO investigation.
His new method of testing - Low Copy Number - provided the distinctive male profile which later proved to be Edwards.
But at the time, he admits its significance was not immediately apparent.
Dr Jonathan Whitaker speak to Tim Clarke in this episode of Claremont in Conversation: The Verdict, and tells of when he realised his find was indeed the ‘Eureka moment’ that led police to Bradley Edwards. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S2E58: The Prosecution’s Star DNA Witness

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