THE TEACHER, HIS MISSING WIFE & A SHOCK ARREST!
The arrest of former high school teacher Chris Dawson after 36 years gives his wife Lyn’s family hope for justice Dawson has always maintained he had nothing to do with his wife’s disappearance.
It’s the Australian cold case that’s captivated the world with more than 17 million people following every step of a new investigation into the disappearance of Sydney mum Lynette Dawson in 1982.
And last week came the news many had been waiting decades for with the arrest of former Sydney high school teacher Chris Dawson, 70, who was refused bail in Southport Magistrates Court last Wednesday.
He’s the former Newton Jets rugby league star at the centre of investigative journalist Hedley Thomas’ gripping podcast The Teacher’s Pet, which re-examines the bizarre circumstances that led to his wife Lyn’s disappearance.
KNOWN PERSON
The registered nurse and devoted mother of two young daughters, Shanelle and Sherryn, hasn’t been seen since she vanished from the couple’s Bayview home on Sydney’s northern beaches on January 9, 1982.
Two coroners have previously ruled that Lyn, 33, was killed by a “known person”, now identified as Chris Dawson. He has always maintained his innocence, despite being the prime suspect in her death.
Dawson had started an affair with one of his high school students, Joanne Curtis, when she was just 16 years old, even employing her to babysit his girls, before eventually moving her into the family home – until Lyn discovered the affair and kicked her out.
Within two days of Lyn’s disappearance, Dawson moved Joanne back into the family home, encouraging her to become a surrogate mum to Lyn’s daughters and even wearing her clothes and wedding rings. They did get married but Joanne left him in 1990.
Dawson, who didn’t report Lyn missing for six weeks, told their daughters she’d run away to join a religious cult, but friends and relatives of both Dawson and Lyn have always insisted she would never have abandoned her girls. Her body has never been found.
NEW WITNESSES
A new dig for evidence at the home Lyn shared with Dawson and their two daughters took place in September, but didn’t unearth any new evidence.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller credited the breakthrough arrest to new statements from witnesses who came forward because of the media interest in the case after Strike Force Scriven was established in 2015 to re-investigate the case.
When he appeared in court last week, Dawson showed little emotion as the magistrate read out police evidence, including allegations of domestic violence against his wife. Detective superintendent Scott Cook says he was a “little bit taken aback” when he was arrested.
Lyn’s brother Greg Simms said he became emotional when he found out about the arrest, telling a newspaper, “We’ve had a cry, we’ve cuddled, we’re just completely over the moon that something has finally happened.”
Dawson’s twin brother Paul released a statement after the arrest last Wednesday, too, adamant there’s evidence Lyn was alive long after she disappeared, saying he was confident his twin was not involved in her death.
“We are disappointed at the decision of the DPP as there’s clear and uncontested evidence Lyn Dawson was alive long after she left Chris and their daughters,” he said in the statement. “We have no doubt whatsoever Chris will be found not guilty, as he is innocent.”
Hedley Thomas, who created the 15-part Teacher’s Pet podcast, which has been downloaded more than 17 million times all around the world, says he was inspired to investigate the case because of the injustice at the heart of what he saw as an inadequate investigation into the disappearance of a devoted mum.
Dawson will be extradited to NSW, where he’s expected to be charged with Lyn’s murder when he next appears in court.
‘We’re just over the moon that something has finally happened’