A court has heard that the man suspected of murdering Ciara Glennon 20 years ago in Australia is socially awkward with an "obsessive sexual interest" in abduction.
For the first time, prosecutors in Perth have revealed disturbing details about why they believe Bradley Robert Edwards is the man responsible for abducting and murdering 27-year old Ms Glennon and two other young women in the 1990s.
Ciara's father Denis Glennon is a native of Westport, Co Mayo.
The Irish Independent reports that the pre-trial hearing of the accused, who's from Claremont, Western Australia, began on Monday after its proceedings were delayed on a number of occasions.
Ciara Glennon disappeared on March 14, 1997, after a night out celebrating St Patrick's Day in the Perth suburb of Claremont.
Her body was discovered 18 days after she disappeared in bushland 50km north of Perth and had to be identified by her parents.
The court heard DNA taken from Ms Glennon's body, including from under her fingernails, was consistent with Mr Edwards's DNA.
Fibres in her hair also corresponded with the same fibres found inside Mr Edwards's car.
Bradley Robert Edwards is also accused of murdering 18-year old Sarah Spiers and 23-year old Jane Rimmer in 1996 and 1997.
He previously pleaded not guilty to all charges, which also include raping a 17-year-old girl in 1995 and breaking into an 18-year-old woman's bedroom in her home in 1988.
The court was told that Mr Edwards was "an introverted, socially awkward man, and that the allegations against him show he had an "obsessive sexual interest in the abduction, imprisonment and forcible rape of women in degrading and violent circumstances".
Following Mr Edwards' arrest in 2016, Ms Glennon's father Denis described the murder charge as a "bitter-sweet moment".
Mr Edwards will go on trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in July.
