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Family Court of Australia attacks

SOLVED1980Parramatta and surrounding Sydney suburbs, New South Wales, Australia3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Between 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.

Key facts

Victims
Richard Gee, Graham Wykes, Ray Watson, Pearl Watson, David Opas, Stephen Blanchard
Date
1980
Location
Parramatta and surrounding Sydney suburbs, New South Wales, Australia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1980-02-22

    Stephen Blanchard is shot dead in his home; his body is found six days later in Cowan Creek on the Hawkesbury River.

  2. 1980-06-23

    Family Court judge David Opas is shot outside his home and dies later that night in hospital.

  3. 1984-03-06

    Judge Richard Gee is injured by a bomb at his Belrose home.

  4. 1984-04-14

    The Family Court building in Parramatta is bombed; no injuries reported.

  5. 1984-07-04

    Pearl Watson, wife of Family Court judge Ray Watson, is killed by an improvised explosive device at their Greenwich home; Judge Watson is injured.

  6. 1984

    A A$500,000 reward is offered for information on the attacks; it is never claimed.

  7. 1985-07-21

    A bombing at Casula Kingdom Hall kills Jehovah's Witness minister Graham Wykes and injures 13 others.

  8. 1985

    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.

  9. 1986

    A coronial inquest is held at Glebe Coroner's Court into the death of Graham Wykes.

  10. 1987

    A coronial inquest by Kevin Waller into the death of Pearl Watson returns an open verdict.

  11. 2012

    The State Crime Command's homicide squad restarts an investigation into the attacks.

  12. 2015-07-29

    Leonard John Warwick is arrested in Campbelltown, New South Wales, and charged with 32 offences.

  13. 2015-07-30

    Warwick appears in Campbelltown Local Court; case adjourned.

  14. 2017-03-02

    Warwick pleads not guilty to all charges; Justice Garling sets a trial date.

  15. 2018-05

    Warwick's judge-alone trial before Justice Garling commences.

  16. 2020-04-06

    Warwick's trial concludes after 23 months, with verdict reserved.

  17. 2020-07-23

    Warwick is found guilty of all charges except the shooting of Stephen Blanchard.

  18. 2020-09-03

    Warwick is sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

  19. 2025-02-14

    Leonard Warwick dies in prison.

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People

  • Richard Gee

    VICTIM

    Family Court judge injured by a bomb at his Belrose home on 6 March 1984.

  • Graham Wykes

    VICTIM

    Jehovah's Witness minister killed in the bombing of Casula Kingdom Hall on 21 July 1985. Warwick was convicted of this murder.

  • Leonard John Warwick

    CONVICTED

    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.

  • Ray Watson

    VICTIM

    Family Court judge injured in the 4 July 1984 bombing that killed his wife Pearl Watson; believed to have been the intended target.

  • Pearl Watson

    VICTIM

    Killed by an improvised explosive device at her Greenwich home on 4 July 1984. Warwick was convicted of this murder.

  • David Opas

    VICTIM

    Family Court judge shot outside his home on 23 June 1980; died later that night. Warwick was convicted of this murder.

  • Stephen Blanchard

    VICTIM

    Shot dead in his home on 22 February 1980; no one has been convicted of his killing.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Parramatta and surrounding Sydney suburbs, New South Wales, Australia

-33.8151, 151.0011

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
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.
Where did the crime happen?
Parramatta and surrounding Sydney suburbs, New South Wales, Australia.
Who was convicted?
Leonard John Warwick (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.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in New South Wales

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICFamily Court of Australia attacksWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSFamily court bombings accused Leonard Warwick to remain in jail until OctoberThe Sydney Morning Herald · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSMan arrested over Sydney family law court bombings, murdersABC News (Australia) · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026