Coronial findings into the murder of two Sydney teenagers, and the failure of government agencies to stop their abusive father, are due for release this week.
A September 2020 inquest was told that despite Edwards’ 40-year history of violence and abuse towards his six former partners and 10 estranged children, police had not charged him with any offence since 1998 and approved his gun licence in 2017.
The experience of the children and Olga in the Family Court was heavily scrutinised after a lawyer tasked with representing the children’s best interests initially advocated for Edwards to see his children weekly.
The inquest has been told the Edwards children spoke of their father’s violence to several health professionals and experts involved in the court proceedings.
But the independent children’s lawyer said the teenagers hadn’t raised those concerns with her before she pushed for weekly access visits.
She defended not telling the family court months later that Jennifer wanted an explicit order forbidding her father from contacting her, saying judges and magistrates had previously told her not to disclose a child’s actual wish in court.
Ms O’Sullivan’s findings are expected to be damning about Sydney police officers’ failures to adequately record or act on Olga’s reports of Edwards’ stalking of her and past abuse of Jack and Jennifer.
Source: Report due on ‘failings’ for fatal family | 7NEWS.com.au