The fathers of alleged Claremont serial killer victims Sarah Spiers and Ciara Glennon have once again witnessed the man accused of murdering their daughters formally deny the allegations against him, this time in the Supreme Court where his fate will ultimately be decided.

Don Spiers and Denis Glennon sat with detectives in the public gallery as Bradley Robert Edwards, 49, appeared in the court via video link from Hakea prison, where he has been held since he was arrested at his Kewdale home in December 2016.

Mr Edwards, dressed in prison greens, sat calmly as he replied "not guilty" to all eight charges he is facing.

They include charges for the murders of Ms Spiers, Ms Glennon and Jane Rimmer, who disappeared from the Claremont entertainment strip between January 1996 and March 1997.

Sarah Spiers, Ciara Glennon, and Jane Rimmer (l-r) disappeared between 1996 and 1997. ( ABC News )

Ms Rimmer's body was found in bushland south of Perth, while Ms Glennon was discovered in bushland north of the city.

The body of Ms Spiers has never been found.

Denis Glennon and Don Spiers sat with detectives in the public gallery during the hearing. ( ABC News: Hugh Sando )

Mr Edwards is also accused of attacking a woman after breaking into her Huntingdale home in 1988, and abducting a 17 year old girl whom he allegedly sexually assaulted at Karrakatta Cemetery in February 1995, about a year before Ms Spiers disappeared.

His trial is likely to be one of the biggest ever conducted in WA and follows a high-profile police investigation lasting 20 years.

State prosecutors have already lodged an application for the trial to be heard by a judge sitting without a jury.

That application will be heard on November 1.

Prosecutors had also hoped the trial could be set down to start in May next year, but Mr Edwards' lawyers have indicated they do not think that date will be feasible.

Mr Edwards was remanded in custody at the end of the hearing to reappear in court at a later date for the judge-only application.