Home

Claremont killings verdict: Hollywood Hospital worker says Bradley Robert Edwards was ‘practising’ on her

The West Australian
Hollywood Hospital victim of Bradley Robert Edwards, Wendy Davis.
Camera IconHollywood Hospital victim of Bradley Robert Edwards, Wendy Davis. Credit: 60 Minutes Australia

A former social worker who survived an attack by Bradley Robert Edwards believes he was “practising” before he snatched his first victim from Claremont.

Wendy Davis at her desk working at Hollywood Hospital in May 1990 when Edwards, who was carrying out work for Telstra, grabbed from behind, covered her mouth with cloth and tried to drag her backwards into a toilet cubicle.

“I feel very blessed that I’m actually here to tell this story,” Ms Davis told 60 Minutes.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“A hand came from behind me with a cloth on it, around my face and hoicked me back off my chair and started to drag me towards the toilet.”

Giving evidence during the trial, Ms Davis, who waived her right to anonymity this week, told how she feared she was going to be killed as she struggled and kicked Edwards as he continued to pull her backwards.

All of a sudden, she said, the attack stopped.

Wendy Davis was attacked by Bradley Robert Edwards at Hollywood Hospital in 1990.
Camera IconWendy Davis was attacked by Bradley Robert Edwards at Hollywood Hospital in 1990. Credit: 60 Minutes Australia

“I fell away and I looked at him, it was the weirdest feeling,” Ms Davis, a mother of three at the time, said in the interview, due to be aired tonight.

“It was so frightening. I absolutely believe he was practising.”

Ms Davis believes WA Police never properly dealt with the attack. “If the police had just looked a little further ... there had been a series of attacks,” she said.

“His fingerprints were already on record.”

Convicted Claremont killer Bradley Robert Edwards.
Camera IconConvicted Claremont killer Bradley Robert Edwards. Credit: Anne Barnetson

Edwards pleaded guilty to the attack on Ms Davis, receiving two years’ probation and ordered to undergo a sex offender treatment program.

He kept his job as a Telstra technician.

Five years after his attack on Ms Davis, in February 995, Edwards abducted a 17-year-old girl from Claremont, grabbing her from behind, tying her up, gagging her, placing a hood over her head, and violently raping her in Karrakatta Cemetery.

Ciara Glennon
Camera IconCiara Glennon Credit: UNKNOWN/SUPPLIED
Jane Rimmer
Camera IconJane Rimmer Credit: unknown/Supplied by family

Edwards was accused of snatching Sarah Spiers less than a year later in January 1996. He was on Thursday found not guilty of that crime.

But he was convicted of abducting and killing Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon from Claremont in the months following.

In court, Ms Davis said after Edwards’ assault, she fell back and “I just looked at him and I moved back and he started to move towards me and he started saying ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry’, but I was getting out of there as quickly as I could.”

No-one has been convicted of Sarah Spiers’ murder.
Camera IconNo-one has been convicted of Sarah Spiers’ murder. Credit: UNKNOWN/SUPPLIED, UNKNOWN

She said she ran out of the office, wearing one shoe with her cardigan hanging off, eventually finding help at the nursing station.

During the attack, Ms Davis said she kicked Mr Edwards in the leg, saying “I kicked him hard”. She said it was strange that the attack “just stopped”.

“One minute I was fighting, and I felt fighting for my life, and the next minute it just stopped. And he was saying ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry’,” she said.

Bouquets of flowers and cards pictured at the Claremont Hotel on Bay View Terrace as tribute to the Ciara Glennon, Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer.
Camera IconBouquets of flowers and cards pictured at the Claremont Hotel on Bay View Terrace as tribute to the Ciara Glennon, Sarah Spiers and Jane Rimmer. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian

Ms Davis testified that she was left with bruising and contusions on her neck, and went to her doctor concerned she had whiplash.

When asked what the cloth felt like, she said it was “heavier than a handkerchief, but I don’t have a recollection of what it was”.

Edwards is due to be sentenced in December.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails