'So demonic, so bad': killer John Edwards had a long history of family violence but still got gun licence
The man who shot and killed his two teenage children in a domestic assault in Sydney’s northern suburbs had a long history of well-documented domestic violence, with police records showing he had been violent toward, or stalked four prior domestic partners and two of his other children.
In 2010, John Edwards was refused a gun licence, the coronial inquest into the deaths heard on Monday. But despite a long history of stalking and assault registered on the central police system known as the “COPS” database, Mr Edwards was able to successfully apply in 2017 for a special “Commissioners Permit” to undergo gun safety training at Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai gun clubs.
John Edwards shot dead his children Jennifer and Jack before taking his own life.
On July 5, 2018, Edwards gunned down his two children Jack and Jennifer, who had fled their father’s violent control to live in a rental property in West Pennant Hills with their mother Olga.
Neighbour Bruce Wilson told the inquest he was having a cup of tea on his verandah and watching the sunset when he heard "an almighty bang" where he knew 13 year old Jennifer and 15 year old Jack lived with their mother.
Mr Wilson approached the house and confronted Edwards as he left some minutes later.
"He didn't look like he was worried about anything in any way. He walked quite well," Mr Wilson said.
Police outside the West Pennant Hills home in 2018. Credit:Janie Barrett
"He sort of half skipped down these stairs then he walked towards me and I thought, 'I've got to concentrate on his features, and his height, all right because I think he has shot the children.'"
Mr Wilson could not bring himself to search for the children in the home.
"I went up to the front door and I sort of braced myself for a while, it just felt so demonic, so bad, such an eerie feeling of standing there I just stood there."
Mr Wilson called the police. Edwards then returned to his Normanhurst home and killed himself. Olga Edwards took her own life some months later.
The inquest into the deaths of John, Jack and Jennifer Edwards has heard Edwards had an extraordinary relationship history, leaving behind six partners before Olga and ten children in total.
Police interviewed all but one of the former partners, and found Edwards had a constant pattern of violence, control and stalking. Several former partners and one of his children had made police reports over decades.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Kate Richardson SC, also told the inquest that in Ku-ring-gai Pistol Club ended up refusing Edwards membership after he was threatening to an officer of the club.
The Ku-ring-gai club informed the Hornsby Gun Club they had refused Mr Edwards membership but did not let any authorities know. Edwards, who owned five firearms, completed his training at St Marys gun club, who had no knowledge of his history.
"It would appear that the Ku-ring-gai Pistol Club was not required by law to notify either the Firearms Registry (or any other club) that they had refused him membership based on their concerns about him.
"One of the issues that accordingly arises in the inquest is whether current laws are adequate in terms of when clubs are required to notify others (including the Firearms Registry or any other club) that they have refused a person membership or otherwise have concerns about a person."
The inquest continues.
Get our Morning & Evening Edition newsletters
Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800 737 732 Lifeline 13 11 14.