"Clovelly is part of the Simms family, it's in our blood," he explains. It is almost 20 years since ABC's Australian Story first spoke to the family and friends of former nurse and childcare worker Lyn Dawson, a much-loved mother-of-two who vanished from her home on Sydney's northern beaches in suspicious circumstances in January 1982. On the surface, they had it all a wholesome relationship, respectable jobs and a home in an idyllic suburb on Sydneys northern beaches. Harrison accepted that Dawson had become infatuated with JC before she left Cromer high school. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. "It was interesting to me to see how he pared down a very large case into something relatively simple," Mr Whealy says. She said JC had described a visit to a pub by Dawson to meet a man and hand over an envelope shortly before his first wife Lyn disappeared. Lyn Dawson disappeared, and that really is as far as I can take it in my own mind.. Lynette Dawson vanished in 1982. "We did it, Lyn," whispers Greg. Now downloaded more than 60 million times, Thomas's podcast would uncover new evidence while making Lyn Dawson a household name. Despite two coronial inquests in 2001 and 2003 finding that charges against a known person should be considered for her murder, on each occasion the DPP declined to prosecute on the grounds that there was not enough evidence. I do feel really sad for these women, its must be an absolute nightmare. The coroner recommended charges be laid; however Nicholas Cowdery QC, the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, assessed that there was insufficient evidence for a criminal conviction. In the late 1950s, she went missing for several years. Lyn worked a nurse, and was seen as a kind and gentle soul. Dawson is accused of murdering his first wife Lynette Dawson to enable him to have an unfettered relationship with the then-16-year-old schoolgirl he had become infatuated with, according to. He unsuccessfully argued all the way to the high court that there should be a permanent stay in the proceedings on the grounds that the alleged murder had occurred a substantial time ago, that there had been contamination of evidence and/or collusion between prosecution witnesses, and that the combination of these factors prejudiced his ability to defend the allegations. In 1980, Chris began a relationship with his 16-year-old Cromer High School student Joanne Curtis. They have also argued that because these events happened four decades ago and memories have faded over time, the testimony given now is not an accurate portrayal of what happened. Chris began an affair with a student at the school, 16-year-old Joanne Curtis before Lynette disappeared. How do they reconcile that? Everything in the house had to be perfect because she never wanted to upset him, Bev told 60 Minutes. Because Lynette is still gone. Shanelle Dawson was just four years old when her father told her and younger sister Sherryn that their mother had run away because she didn't love them. Harrison said Dawson "lied" about receiving phone calls from his missing wife, and concluded she died on or around January 8, 1982. Dawson, 74, had been accused of killing Lynette Dawson in 1982. They were both colour blind, played football together, both became PE teachers - and their wives even had the same baby doctor, 'Dr John Murray our obstetrician'. Lyn Dawson with daughter Shanelle Shanelle, who was four years old at her mother's disappearance time, is now a married lady in her 40s in 2022. Harrison said the prosecution had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Lynette Dawson is dead, that she was killed by Dawson with the possible involvement or assistance of others, and that he and possibly others disposed of her body. [9] She planned to meet her mother and family at Northbridge Baths the following day, but never arrived. That was the judge's reasoning. Either way, now you'll likely go about your day. "He was family," Greg says. Independent Allegra Spender has labelled a regular part of Australian political life as a waste of taxpayers money. 16-year-old Joanne Curtis, the student who had an affair with Chris Dawson. Mr Walsh did not make an application for bail on Thursday morning when Dawson appeared before the same court he'd been convicted in, clad in his prison greens. "Mum never stopped searching for Lyn. A 16-part Australian crime podcast series, The Teacher's Pet, by Walkley Award-winning journalist Hedley Thomas of The Australian, was broadcast in 2018 with a large amount of evidence that was not collected by any of the police investigations. I asked if Chris wanted to see the drawings because they were of his children and he said "no". Without a body, without knowing first of all whether in fact she is dead, without knowing secondly if she is dead, how she died, its very hard to mount a case of a reasonable prospect of conviction just on motive and the undefined existence of means and opportunity. Lyn did not leave her family, her friends or her daughters and was in fact murdered by the one person she trusted most. "This story has gone worldwide and Lyn would be incredibly humbled by that," Merilyn says. When journalist Hedley Thomas transfixed by the story since he'd first covered the coronial inquests published the hit podcast The Teacher's Pet in 2018, public interest reached fever pitch. The daughter of convicted murderer Chris Dawson and his first wife Lynette will appear in a rare television interview - the first time in four years she has spoken publicly. (60 Minutes) The then-33-year-old mum of two little girls has never been heard from since. Greg admits there were times during Justice Harrison's rollercoaster five-hour judgement when he thought Dawson might be acquitted. Chris Dawson has been found guilty of murdering his wife Lynette more than 40 years ago, after one of Australia's most high-profile trials. The prosecution alleged there was a powerful circumstantial case that Dawson killed his wife to continue an unfettered relationship with the student, known as JC, whom he had met as a teenager while working as a physical education teacher. A couple of times at their house I did see him turn quite nasty, and it shocked me.. "Maybe we were gullible, we wish we would have done more.". By
Prior to her days working in childcare, Lyn was a nurse at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital (now known as the Sydney Children's Hospital at Westmead). THERE was a culture of male teachers trying to have sex with female students at a school where the husband of suspected murder victim Lyn Dawson worked, a former student says. A friend of Joannes, Michelle Walsh, told A Current Affair her friend believed Chris had killed Lyn. [1] Her whereabouts are unknown, but two coronial inquests found that she had been murdered. The second time I saw him being extremely violent towards her near the bedroom door and that just shattered me. Before long they had two children and Chris began winding down his rather successful rugby career. "Who can describe it? No body was found, no suspects were arrested, and it seemed as though the case had gone cold. I think maybe she'd come from the country and didn't have her family around, so Lyn used to go down in her time off and sit with her, just to give her some comfort. He turned her young daughters memories against her - tarring her as a cowardly, unloving mother who just "went away". "It just happened so quickly," he says. Today, your news feed has told you that Chris Dawson has been found guilty of killing his wife, Lynette, on Sydney's northern beaches, 40 years ago. Especially people who are quite angry, and rightfully so, wanting answers about my mum. JC and her daughter attended her performances every week and the little girl even had her own mini gumnut fairy costume made. "Lyn was very attached to a little girl who was sick. Right: The couple in . Chris didnt report his wife as missing until six weeks later, and told everyone she had run off to join a religious cult. Lynette Dawsons last known conversation was with her mother. 1981: Lyn tells her friend from work, Anna Grantham, that Chris has allegedly been violent towards her, including one occasion where her pulled her hair and shoved her face into the mud next to the pool, leaving her gasping for air. No more than two days later, Joanne had moved into Chris home and marital bed. Even after the official search for Lynette Dawson had begun and fingers continued to point to him as a suspect, Chris remained adamant that his wife was alive. Princess of Wales channels the Welsh dragon in a bright red coat at St David's Day Mike Tindall's latest money-making scheme! In a statement to police, Chris suggested that she had joined a religious organisation. Then, check out the story of Amy Lynn Bradley, who seemingly vanished from a cruise ship. This inquest determined that despite the lack of a body, it was likely that Lynette Dawson was dead and had been killed by a known person, heavily implying it was her cheating husband Chris, against whom they recommended charges should be pressed. The ups and downs from Judge Harrison in his summation," he says. Looking for Lyn: With Joanne Curtis, Damian Loone. The former Sydney rugby league player and teacher is accused of murdering his wife and. On it is a simple plaque, its inscription a touching tribute to Lyn and her parents, Helena and Len Simms, who both passed away in 2001 never knowing what had happened to their beloved daughter. The mother-of-two abruptly vanished from her Sydney Northern Beaches home almost 40 years ago in January 1982. Though she hadnt been seen at the beach or even leaving for it, and despite the fact that she couldnt be reached by phone, Lynette Dawson was not reported missing. The artist who drew the portraits,Kristin Hardiman, told the court that Lyn 'was very excited' about the portraits after approaching her at the 1981 Christmas fair at Narrabeen High School. Rishi Sunak looked like he had won the lottery. But she hadn't really discussed her marriage to Dawson until the night she left him when she stayed atMs Melrose-Mikeska's Southport home before escaping to Sydney with her daughter. Harrison dismissed several reported sightings of Lynette Dawson which occurred after 8 January 1982. Initially, her disappearance was considered a "missing persons" matter. Thomas began compiling his own information and theories on what may have happened to Lynette Dawson. Nearly a decade later, Greg received information that made him "turn white". In fact, it would be more than a month until an official missing persons report would be filed. Years later, her body has still never been recovered and the investigation is . Hell continue to assert that innocence and hell certainly appeal.. You know, she didn't have to do that.
Chris Dawson fabricated these lies to cover his crime and discredit Lyn. "Whenever inquiries were made, the family was always told, she's an adult. Verdict that took five hours to be delivered ended a 40-year wait for justice, The Teachers Pet: hit podcast thrust Lynette Dawsons 1982 disappearance into the spotlight. This time, testimony was given by several people of interest, including Joanne Curtis and Lynette Dawsons family. Dawsons twin brother, Paul, left court without speaking to reporters. Today, they have likely lost their father too. He finalised divorce proceedings against Lynette in 1983, and married Curtis the following year. Chris Dawson and his twin brother Paul posing for a Levis ad. A body was never found but they did discover Lyns pink cardigan during a police dig. Everyone who loved Lynette loses. The garment had multiple cut marks consistent with stabbing. . 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You might vaguely remember, instead, that podcast, and the journalist who caught a killer. In 1980, at 16, Joanne Curtis began an affair with a teacher at Cromer High School in . [4], In April 2018, following extensive investigations, NSW Police requested the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to review its brief of evidence. Fiercely. Supreme court verdict in case that was the subject of popular Teachers Pet podcast will be appealed, Dawsons lawyer says. Dawson, 74, had been accused of killing Lynette Dawson in 1982. A lot of teachers said to me, once theyre legal, theyre fair game, former classmate Phil Webster said. 22/29 In 1980, Chris began a secret affair with Joanne Curtis, 16, his student, soon after introducing her to his family as the babysitter. 'He's had to pay maintenance to (JC) for eight years, on your theory he should have knocked off his second wife too he should have killed (JC) too,' Marilyn told Joan she'd said to police. Image: AAP. There was always something ahead with Lyn's case but now there's nothing else to wait for. The story of Lynette Dawsons disappearance has sparked interest around the world after it was featured on a podcast called The Teachers Pet, produced by The Australian newspaper. "He was on television ads. She would even wear Lyns jewellery and her clothes. Instead, her trust was betrayed by a man she loved.. Police have no reason not to believe that she just up and left. Though her whereabouts and body are still unknown, coroner's police investigations have concluded that she was killed. Dawson applied for and was granted a divorce from Lyn in June 1983 and married Curtis in January 1984 two years after Lyn went missing. The family's babysitter, a schoolgirl who can only be identified as JC, moves into the home within days. Having taken over the case in 2015, the NSW PoliceUnsolved Homicide Unitsent a new brief to the DPP in early 2018. "And Hedley came forward and saw my sister, Pat, and said he wanted to do a podcast. "Why couldn't he just bloody walk away? It is an enormous moment for a family who have spent the past four decades searching for answers, certain that Lyn would never have left the two young daughters she loved so dearly. Lynette Simms and Chris Dawson, both aged 16, met at a high-school function in 1965. Its a perception she struggles to reconcile with the scrutiny on his potential role in her mothers murder. Ms Longhurst also recalled one time she invited JC and her daughter on a visit to Pacific Fair shopping centre with her and her son and that JC spent no money, and brought her own lunch to eat in the car. Though no remains have been found and Chris Dawson maintains his innocence, it seems that the case may finally be coming to a close. [22] Harrison rejected the alleged sightings of Lynette as "wholly unreliable", and found there was a "most compelling body of evidence" to reject the hypothesis that Lynette Dawson abandoned her family. Harrison said that while it was often immaterial when a particular offence occurred, in this case it was an indispensable link in the chain of reasoning upon which the Crown relies. Australian Story first covered the story of Lyn Dawson nearly 20 years ago. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. YoutubeHedley Thomas, the journalist behind The Teachers Pet. A few years later, he divorced Lyn in her absence and married JC. In a teary interview with 60 Minutes back in 2018, Shanelle Dawson said 'it's not looking good for my father, I will be honest to say'. They moved to Queensland and had a child together. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. His relationship with JC, a teenage schoolgirl (who he first met in his PE class), and who subsequently became the couple's live-in babysitter, was an obsession that became "more and more intense", the judge said. This verdict is for Lyn. Bev firmly believes Lyn did not choose to leave. Two years later, a second, lengthier inquest was held. "I'm absolutely elated at the outcome but I'm still coming to terms with it," explains Pat, who watched the verdict at home with her daughter and twin sons, the four of them jumping up and down and hugging each other when Chris Dawson was pronounced guilty. The next news came from Chris as he spun the first silk in a web of lies torn down this week. [1] Her whereabouts are unknown, but two coronial inquests found that she had been murdered. He found that although Lynette Dawson had confronted JC with the paradoxically genteel observation that JC had been taking liberties with her husband, she had remained hopeful of reconciling with Dawson. In 1975, the Dawson brothers and their spouses appeared on the ABC documentary program Chequerboard to discuss how the twins' close bond affected their lives. Harrison said the prosecution had provided multiple reasons to explain the unlikelihood that Lynette Dawson had done this, and he had found them strongly persuasive when considered together. Then, in May 2018, a month after Australian prosecutors began to review the case, Thomas shocked the world by debuting a podcast titled The Teachers Pet. She said he was a loving father to her, and struggled to see him as the narcissistic, abusive man that others made him out to be. She was scared for herself and her daughter and she was going to the police to inform them that, you know, she believed that he killed Lyn.. Over the years, two families have been at war over these different stories. The couple moved to Queensland and had a daughter in 1986. As Chris awaits his trial so does the Australian public, and indeed the world. She shared a short excerpt from the poem Still Possible, written by David Whyte, which describes understanding that 'you have secretly been, all along, a goodness that can continue to be a goodness to itself'. Picture: Simms family 5/29. She also received recognition for her starring role as Julia Meade in the action spy film . Lynette Dawson and her husband, Chris, shortly before their marriage. Then, in 1965, Chris Dawson met young Lynette Simms and five years later the two were married. Though the likelihood of a doting mother simply leaving her two young daughters behind out of the blue was incredibly low, Chris defense team maintained that this wasnt that far-fetched. "We've always remembered Lyn with such love. Chris began teaching physical education at Cromer High School in this year. Her body has never been found and Dawson has always maintained he was not involved in her disappearance. When Justice Harrison finally pronounced the "guilty" verdict in court last week, Greg couldn't quite believe it was all over. [9] Chris didn't report his wife as missing until six weeks after she had vanished. It was published in 2018, at the same time as NSW police were again investigating Lynette Dawsons disappearance. Chris Dawson's daughter has shared a poem about 'enduring and suffering' in a cryptic post made just hours after her dad was locked up likely for the rest of his life. All times AEDT (GMT +11). It's a bleak afternoon at Clovelly Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs, the sky is a screen of opaque grey, and the drizzling rain has become a steady downpour. But it will never be enough. Lyn and Chris with daughter Shanelle in 1979. She was survived by her two daughters and her husband, Chris Dawson. Education at Cromer High School in this year Cromer High School in this year have. An affair with Chris Dawson, wanting answers about my mum rollercoaster judgement. 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