Solved case · 1980
The short answer
Between 1980 and 1985, a series of shootings and bombings in New South Wales targeted judges and others connected to the Family Court of Australia, killing four people. Leonard John Warwick was convicted in 2020 of three of the murders and other offences.
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Suggest coverage for Family Court of Australia attacksBetween 1980 and 1985, a campaign of shootings and bombings in New South Wales targeted judges and people associated with the Family Court of Australia. Over the course of the attacks, two people were shot dead, two were killed by bombs, a Family Court building was damaged by an explosive device, and a further unexploded bomb was found attached to a motor vehicle.
The attacks are considered to have begun on 22 February 1980, when Stephen Blanchard was shot dead in his home; his body was found six days later in Cowan Creek on the Hawkesbury River. On 23 June 1980, Family Court judge David Opas was shot outside his home and died later that night in hospital. On 6 March 1984, judge Richard Gee — who had taken over Opas's cases — was injured by a bomb at his home in Belrose, and on 14 April 1984 the Family Court building in Parramatta was bombed without injuries. On 4 July 1984, Pearl Watson, wife of Family Court judge Ray Watson, was killed when she opened the door of their unit in Greenwich and triggered an improvised explosive device; Judge Watson, believed to be the intended target, was injured. On 21 July 1985, a bombing at the Casula Kingdom Hall, a Jehovah's Witness venue, killed minister Graham Wykes and injured 13 others. Also in 1985, an unexploded bomb was found under the bonnet of a car in Northmead, at an address formerly linked to a solicitor who had acted for a woman in a Family Court case.
No one has been convicted of Blanchard's shooting. A A$500,000 reward offered in 1984 for information was never claimed. Two coronial inquests were held — in 1986 into Wykes's death, and in 1987, conducted by Kevin Waller, into Pearl Watson's death, which returned an open verdict amid frustration that insufficient evidence existed to charge the main suspect, who was connected in some way to all the victims. In 2012, the State Crime Command's homicide squad restarted the investigation.
On 29 July 2015, Leonard John Warwick, brother-in-law of first victim Stephen Blanchard and a "person of interest" in the original investigation, was arrested at Campbelltown, New South Wales, and charged with 32 offences including four counts of murder, one of attempted murder, and 13 counts of burning or maiming with an explosive substance. After pleading not guilty in March 2017, his judge-alone trial before Justice Garling began in May 2018 and, following numerous delays including the withdrawal of his legal aid representation, concluded on 6 April 2020. On 23 July 2020, Warwick was found guilty of all charges except the shooting of Stephen Blanchard. On 3 September 2020, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole; Justice Garling stated that Warwick's crimes "cannot be viewed as anything other than an attack on the very foundations of Australian democracy." Warwick died in prison on 14 February 2025.
Stephen Blanchard is shot dead in his home; his body is found six days later in Cowan Creek on the Hawkesbury River.
Family Court judge David Opas is shot outside his home and dies later that night in hospital.
Judge Richard Gee is injured by a bomb at his Belrose home.
The Family Court building in Parramatta is bombed; no injuries reported.
Pearl Watson, wife of Family Court judge Ray Watson, is killed by an improvised explosive device at their Greenwich home; Judge Watson is injured.
A A$500,000 reward is offered for information on the attacks; it is never claimed.
A bombing at Casula Kingdom Hall kills Jehovah's Witness minister Graham Wykes and injures 13 others.
An unexploded bomb is found under the bonnet of a car in Northmead, at an address formerly linked to a solicitor who had acted for a woman in a Family Court case.
A coronial inquest is held at Glebe Coroner's Court into the death of Graham Wykes.
A coronial inquest by Kevin Waller into the death of Pearl Watson returns an open verdict.
The State Crime Command's homicide squad restarts an investigation into the attacks.
Leonard John Warwick is arrested in Campbelltown, New South Wales, and charged with 32 offences.
Warwick appears in Campbelltown Local Court; case adjourned.
Warwick pleads not guilty to all charges; Justice Garling sets a trial date.
Warwick's judge-alone trial before Justice Garling commences.
Warwick's trial concludes after 23 months, with verdict reserved.
Warwick is found guilty of all charges except the shooting of Stephen Blanchard.
Warwick is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Leonard Warwick dies in prison.
Victims first. Every legal label is set from public records and court outcomes, not from the prose.
Family Court judge shot outside his home on 23 June 1980; died later that night. Warwick was convicted of this murder.[3]
Jehovah's Witness minister killed in the bombing of Casula Kingdom Hall on 21 July 1985. Warwick was convicted of this murder.[3]
Killed by an improvised explosive device at her Greenwich home on 4 July 1984. Warwick was convicted of this murder.[3]
Family Court judge injured in the 4 July 1984 bombing that killed his wife Pearl Watson; believed to have been the intended target.[3]
Family Court judge injured by a bomb at his Belrose home on 6 March 1984.[3]
Shot dead in his home on 22 February 1980; no one has been convicted of his killing.[3]
Arrested in July 2015 and charged with 32 offences including four counts of murder; found guilty in July 2020 of most charges, including three murders, but acquitted of the murder of Stephen Blanchard; sentenced to life without parole in September 2020; died in prison in February 2025.[3]
From the record
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SOLVEDListenNSW Police Force Headquarters (now Curtis Cheng Centre), Parramatta · 2010s
On 2 October 2015, 15-year-old Farhad Khalil Mohammad Jabar, identified as the shooter, shot and killed unarmed police civilian finance worker Curtis Cheng outside NSW Police Headquarters in Parramatta, Sydney, before being shot dead by special constables. Four other men were later charged in connection with the attack, which authorities described as an act of terrorism.
Credit: Jgb23CC BY-SA 4.0SourceSOLVEDListenBlacktown / Prospect, New South Wales, Australia · 1980s
Anita Cobby, a 26-year-old nurse, was abducted while walking home from Blacktown railway station in Sydney on 2 February 1986, then raped, tortured and murdered by five men. Her body was found two days later; all five perpetrators were convicted in 1987 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
SOLVEDListenSouth-west Sydney, New South Wales, Australia · 2000s
Between 2001 and 2009, a feud rooted in rival cannabis operations and marital breakdowns among three south-west Sydney families of Lebanese descent led to multiple shootings and killings, including the Lawford Street murders of Ziad Razzak and Mervat Nemra, and the murders of Ali Abdul Razzak, Ahmed Fahda and Abdul Darwiche.
Credit: D4444n at en.wikipediaCC BY-SA 3.0SourceSOLVEDListenGrand Hotel, Brighton, England · 1984
On 12 October 1984 the IRA detonated a long-delay bomb at the Grand Hotel in Brighton in an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet during the Conservative Party Conference. Five people were killed and more than thirty injured; Thatcher was uninjured. IRA member Patrick Magee was convicted in 1986 and sentenced to eight concurrent life terms.
Credit: English WikipediaEditorial useSourceSOLVEDListenMercy Road offramp, Interstate 15, San Diego County, California · 1986
Cara Knott, a 20-year-old San Diego State University student, disappeared on December 27, 1986, while driving home from her boyfriend's house. Her body was found the next day below a bridge near an isolated freeway offramp. California Highway Patrol officer Craig Alan Peyer was convicted of her murder in 1988 after a second trial.
Credit: www.derwan.com/images/view/Daniel_Morcombe.jpgEditorial useSourceSOLVEDListenKiel Mountain Road overpass, Woombye, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia · 2000s
Thirteen-year-old Daniel Morcombe was abducted from a bus stop on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on 7 December 2003. Nearly eight years later, Brett Peter Cowan was charged with his murder and led police to his remains; in 2014 Cowan was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
