Relief as Dawson to die in prison
LYNETTE Dawson’s family have hailed Chris Dawson’s 24-year prison sentence as the end of a “long and painful” journey after the former teacher was told he will likely die in jail.
On Friday afternoon, 14,938 days after his wife went missing from their home in Sydney’s northern beaches, Dawson stood stoicallyin Sydney’s Supreme Court wearing prison greens as he was sentenced by Justice Ian Harrison.
Mr Dawson pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Lynette, who vanished from their Bayview home in January 1982 and overthe last four decades has consistently maintained his innocence.
The 74year-old was on Friday sentenced to 24 years in jail with a 18year non parole period, meaning Dawson will first beeligible for parole in August 2040.
“The unavoidable prospect is that Mr Dawson will likely die in jail,” Justice Harrison said.
His lawyers have already lodged an intention to appeal the guilty verdict.
After a long-running trial earlier this year, Dawson was in August found guilty of the murder, after Justice Harrison saidthe only explanation was that he killed his 33-year-old wife to be with one of his former students.
Her body has never been found and Justice Harrison found there was no “reasonable possibility” she voluntarily left and never contacted her friends or family, including her two children. Ms Dawson’s family, including her brother Greg Simms, have pleaded with Dawson to reveal where she is buried.
“Today marks the end of a very long, painful, challenging journey,” Mr Simms said outside court on Friday afternoon.