Until last Tuesday, a New South Wales Supreme Court judge in Australia declared 74-year-old Chris Dawson guilty of killing his wifeLynette.
Chris, a former professional rugby player, lived with her and the couple’s two children in Sydney.
They were a seemingly normal family until she disappeared without a trace in January 1982.. I was 33 years old.
Chris quit rugby in the late 1970s and taught PE at a public school on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Over there fell in love with one of his students teenagersJoan Curtis named JC at the trial where the verdict was finally reached in this intriguing case.
infidelity
JC had Only 16 years when Kris fell in love with her, according to details revealed both in court and on the 2018 investigative podcast that cracked the case, Teacher’s pet (“Teacher’s pet”).
Joanna was part of a broken family where violence and alcohol were part of everyday life.
Despite the fact that the young woman was younger, that he was twice her age and was married, the professor developed a close relationship with her.
Chris hired a teenager as a nanny in her house and began a secret relationship with her.
According to JC’s testimony during the trial, they both had sex behind Lynette’s back while she was sleeping or taking a shower.
According to Judge Ian Harrison, Chris Dawson was obsessed with the teenager he wanted to “replace” for his wife.
In fact, just three days after Lynette’s disappearance, a young student moved into the Dawson house.
Missing
In the months leading up to his wife’s disappearance, Chris became increasingly desperate as divorce plans failed and JC threatened to end their romance, according to the judge.
“As the relationship turned into a sexual relationship, Dawson faced the harsh reality that he couldn’t stay married and still maintain his increasingly intense relationship” with the teenager, according to the judge.
“The prospect of losing her distressed, disappointed, and eventually stunned him so much that Mr. Dawson decided to kill his wife,” he said.
Chris Dawson denies killing Lynette and always claimed that she abandoned him and their two childrenperhaps to join a religious group.
Since then, the police have found no trace of her.
Chris claimed that his wife called him a few days after the disappearance to say that she needed a break from the relationship.
He assured that the first call was followed by others, but this has not been proven. the judge thinks it’s a lie.
The husband’s defense also argued that at least five people testified that they saw the missing man alive after January 1982
This did not convince the judge either, who dismissed the observations as misperceptions of the alleged witnesses.
Two years after Lynette’s disappearance, in 1984, Chris Dawson and Joan Curtis are married and have a daughter.
The couple divorced in 1993.
podcast
Two investigations into Lynette’s disappearance in 2001 and 2003 concluded that she was dead and had been killed by a “famous person”.
But prosecutors haven’t seen enough evidence to press charges until journalist Hadley Thomas investigated the case on his podcast.
Winner of Australia’s top journalism award Walkley. Teacher’s pet collects more than 60 million downloads and tops the charts in his country, as well as in the UK, Canada and New Zealand.
The podcast and its impact on public opinion played a key role in Chris’ arrest in 2018 and in subsequent litigation.
Judge Harrison criticized his “unbalanced view” of the case and ruled that he influenced the testimony presented by some of the witnesses.
In fact, the attention generated by the podcast even caused a delay in the start of the trial.
The defense even tried to stop the case, arguing that its impact deprived the defendant of a fair trial.
In the end, it was decided to trial with a judge instead of a jury popular given that the latter is more influenced by public opinion.
Verdict
Judge Harrison delivered his verdict on Tuesday after a three-month trial that included testimony from several witnesses.
While none of the evidence was conclusive on its own, after evaluating it as a whole, the judge ruled that Chris Dawson had been proven guilty. “persuasive and persuasive”.
He rejected the defendant’s theory that Lynette Dawson left home voluntarily.
According to him, the victim “idolized her children and husband” and that all his property remained in the house wife after his disappearance.
“Even his contact lenses were found in the blue container when Mr. Dawson delivered his things,” he said.
Besides, ever since Lynette disappeared, none of his friends and family had any news or any sign of that she might be alive somewhere.
Considering the circumstantial evidence as a whole, the judge stated that “without a doubt” Chris killed to his wife and unbuttoned from his body.
After the verdict, the guilty man was handcuffed and left the room, shaking his head in displeasure.
A family
Lynette Dawson’s family members present at the trial reacted with tears in their eyes.
His brother Greg Simms stated that the court’s decision only confirmed what they had known for years.
“She loved her family and never left them of her own free will. However, her trust was betrayed by the man she loved,” Simms explained to the press, visibly touched.
He also referred to Chris Dawson, whom he asked to “finally do what’s right” and “let us bring Lynette home to rest in peace, finally giving her the dignity she deserves.”
The verdict will be known in the near future, the date has not yet been determined.
Chris Dawson’s lawyer indicated that this is likely file an appeal.
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Source: La Opinion
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