Sydney Family Court bombing accused remanded in custody

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-33713493

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An Australian man remains in custody charged over a series of bombings and shootings targeting Family Law Court judges in Sydney in the 1980s.

Four people were murdered and others injured in what was to become one of the city's biggest unsolved crimes.

More than three decades later, police raided Leonard John Warwick's Sydney home in connection to the case.

Warwick did not seek bail on Thursday for a range of charges including murder and several explosives offenses.

A previous coronial inquest heard evidence that 68-year-old Warwick, a former fire-fighter, had a long-running dispute with the Family Court related to a custody battle with his estranged wife.

In 2012, detectives re-launched their investigation into the cases.

DNA breakthrough

Technological advancements helped officers make the breakthrough, after they analysed DNA from a drop of blood collected back in 1985 from a piece of cardboard at one of the crime scenes, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Warwick stands accused of killing his ex-brother-in-law, a judge, another judge's wife, and a Jehovah's Witness church minister, who had apparently been assisting Warwick's ex-wife.

He has also been charged with attempting to harm others including another judge who took over from Justice David Opas after he was shot dead on his doorstep.

Pearl Watson, the wife of Judge Ray Watson, was killed by a bomb fixed to the front door of the family home.

Judge Watson's daughter, Sue Chapman, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. she felt terribly sorry her father, who died four years ago, was not able to see his wife's alleged killer brought to justice.

"I'm still in a state of shock and I'm totally churned up inside, but in a way I'm very, very relieved," Ms Chapman said.

Reward

A reward of half a million Australian dollars was offered for information about the attacks in 1984.

The crimes not only affected individuals but the entire nation, police said.

"This case has been embedded in the psyche of not only this state, but this country, and investigators are determined to bring finality to the families of victims," Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Mick Willing said on Wednesday.

"Throughout the years, these events from the 1980s have been investigated by some of the best detectives this state has ever seen; this Strike Force has demonstrated skills and dedication that does every one of them proud," Det Superintendent Willing said.

Warwick is due to appear in court again next month.