The man accused of the Claremont serial killings may face trial on charges of murdering Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon in front of a judge sitting without a jury, after another appearance in court today.

The revelation came during the first appearance of Bradley Robert Edwards, 49, in the WA Supreme Court, where his case is expected to be heard next year.

The application for a judge-alone trial submitted by state prosecutors will be heard by a Supreme Court judge on November 1.

There was no indication from Mr Edwards's lawyer, Paul Yovich SC, about whether the application would be supported or opposed.

The issue will be discussed when Mr Edwards returns to court on September 28 to formally enter pleas to the charges.

Provisional trial dates have been set from May 2019, but Mr Yovich said he did not believe that date was feasible.

The court was told two months' worth of hearings were likely to be needed to deal with pre-trial applications about the admissibility of evidence.

Mr Edwards appeared via video link from the maximum security Hakea Prison, where he has been held since his arrest in December 2016.

He spoke only to say "yes" as his name was read out, and to confirm he understood the charges.

Both Ms Spiers father, Don, and Ms Glennon's father, Denis, were present at court for his appearance. The pair have regularly attended court since Mr Edwards' arrest almost two years ago.

Denis Glennon and Don Spiers have regularly attended Mr Edwards's court appearances. ( ABC News: Hugh Sando )

Three dead women and two alleged assaults

Mr Edwards is now facing a total of eight charges after prosecutors discontinued one of the counts relating to the alleged 1988 indecent assault of a woman after her Huntingdale home was broken into.

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo SC said it was the state's view that the other charge Mr Edwards was facing in relation to that incident "encompassed" all the alleged offending.

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo said one of the charges had been discontinued. ( ABC News: Hugh Sando )

He has also been charged with the abduction of a 17-year-old girl, who he allegedly raped at Karrakatta Cemetery in February 1995.

Bradley Robert Edwards was a well known figure in the community, heavily involved in children's athletics before his arrest. ( Facebook: KLAC )

That was almost a year before Ms Spiers vanished from the Claremont entertainment strip after a night out with friends in January 1996.

Her body has never been found.

Six months later, in June 1996, 23-year-old Ms Rimmer disappeared from the same area. Her body was found six weeks later in bushland at Wellard, south of Perth.

Ms Glennon, 27, disappeared from Claremont on the night of March 14, 1997, and her body was found about three weeks later in bushland at Eglington, north of Perth.

Mr Edwards entered not guilty pleas to all of the charges against him when he appeared in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court in July.

His trial is likely to be one of the most lengthy and complex to come before the West Australian courts.

It follows the biggest police investigation in Australian history — the Macro Task Force — spanning more than 20 years.