Evidence of a Telstra van lurking at Karrakatta Cemetery showed the accused Claremont serial killer frequented the area "waiting for the opportunity to abduct, sexually assault and murder young women", the Supreme Court has been told.

Key points: Bradley Edwards is accused of killing Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon

Bradley Edwards is accused of killing Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon A pre-trial hearing on Tuesday centred on a Telstra van seen near Claremont

A pre-trial hearing on Tuesday centred on a Telstra van seen near Claremont Defence lawyers also objected to a police interview being admitted as evidence

Bradley Robert Edwards, 50, is facing the second day of a directions hearing to determine what evidence will be allowed to be presented at his nine-month trial, which is due to start in November.

He is accused of the murders of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon, who disappeared from the Claremont entertainment strip between January 1996 and March 1997.

The bodies of Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon were found in bushland, but Ms Spiers has never been located.

Sarah Spiers, Ciara Glennon and Jane Rimmer were last seen alive in Claremont. ( Fairfax Media )

Mr Edwards is also accused of attacking a woman in her Huntingdale home in 1988 and of the abduction and rape of a teenage girl in February 1995.

He denies all the charges.

Witness saw Telstra van man lurking

Mr Edwards was working for Telstra at the time of the alleged offences and prosecutors claim he used his work vehicle to carry out the three alleged murders and the 1995 attack, which was at Karrakatta Cemetery.

On Tuesday Mr Edwards's lawyers objected to evidence being presented from a witness who said on four or five occasions he saw a Telstra van parked at the cemetery "for no apparent reason".

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo SC said the sightings were several months after the Karrakatta attack and about three months before Ms Spiers disappeared from Claremont.

State prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo says there is evidence a man in a Telstra van offered women lifts in the Claremont area between 1995 and 1997. ( ABC News )

Ms Barbagallo said the state wanted to present the evidence as part of what was called the "Telstra Living Witness project", in which it was alleged that between 1995 and 1997 a man in a Telstra van stopped and looked at women or offered them lifts.

The court heard the witness who saw the van at Karrakatta did report what he had seen, but Ms Barbagallo said because Telstra records "were not the best" they could not find any evidence of it.

"We say it's relevant to all of the offences, because it's not far from where the [Karrakatta victim] was picked up and not far from where the other girls disappeared from Claremont," she said.

"It must be for malevolent purposes. He's returned to the area and is sitting waiting for the opportunity to abduct, sexually assault and/or murder young women.

"He just sits around waiting for opportunities."

Paul Yovich says evidence about a Telstra van being seen at Karrakatta is irrelevant. ( ABC News: Hugh Sando )

Mr Edwards'slawyer, Paul Yovich SC, argued that the evidence was not relevant.

He said the witness saw the van about 6:00pm or 7:00pm when there were no young women seeking lifts home, and the only similarity with the alleged conduct in the Telstra Living Witness project was that the vehicle was a van.

"Telstra records show no such vehicle was allocated to him," Mr Yovich said.

"The key point is that the evidence can't help prove the Karrakatta offences … and it's said to be part of the Telstra Living Witness project, but it does not resemble that."

Victims' state of mind to be contested

The court was told evidence would be presented at the trial about the "state of mind" of Ms Spiers and Ms Glennon just before they disappeared.

Ms Barbagallo said the evidence would come from friends and family members of the women, in particular Ms Spiers, whose body has never been found.

She said the evidence was to "negate the suggestion" that Ms Spiers had died by suicide or that she would disappear voluntarily.

Friends and family of Claremont serial killer victims Sarah Spiers (top) and Ciara Glennon (right) will testify about their state of mind. ( ABC News )

Admissibility of police DNA interview questioned

Mr Yovich also raised objections to parts of his client's police interview in December 2016 being admitted as evidence.

In particular, he wanted ruled out a section of the interview in which detectives were asking him about DNA linking him to the crimes.

A psychological report on Bradley Edwards found he bottled up his emotions, the court heard. ( Supplied: Central Crocs Football Club )

The court heard at one point Mr Edwards said to them: "You're assuming I've done it."

The police officer responded: "I'm not assuming anything."

But he then went on to say: "Science says it's yours. The science speaks for itself."

Justice Stephen Hall said this could be regarded as commentary.

Ms Barbagallo said the portion of the interview was admissible because it was part of the discourse between the detectives and Mr Edwards.

Edwards 'emotionally constricted': report

Later there was discussion about the admissibility of reports prepared in 1990 after Mr Edwards pleaded guilty to attacking a hospital worker he did not know at Hollywood Hospital.

The court heard a psychological report said Mr Edwards could "offer no adequate explanation for his actions", although he did disclose he had an argument about a personal issue the night before.

The reports found that he supressed his emotions and that he had a "displacement of feelings", which Ms Barbagallo said suggested he would take his anger or frustration out on strangers.

"When a wrong is done to him … he then takes it out on someone he does not know," she said.

"There is a pattern, we say, you can glean from this background evidence."

Bradley Edwards was interviewed by police about DNA linking him to the crimes. ( ABC News: Anne Barnetson )

The court was told the reports also described Mr Edwards as having "fragile self-esteem" and being "emotionally constricted".

Mr Edwards appeared in court in person for the hearing.