The Teacher's Trial
The Australian
Recent Episodes
Forty-three years after she alleges Christopher Michael Dawson abused her for the first time, the complainant in the convicted murderer’s latest trial has told her story in court.
Identified only as AB for legal reasons, she says she was 16 years old and a student of Dawson's when the alleged sexual activity first took place – a claim Dawson has denied.
Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon discuss AB’s evidence-in-chief, along with opening statements from Crown prosecutor Emma Blizard and defence barrister Claire Wasley.
To read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the trial, search The Teacher's Accuser or visit theteachersaccuser.com.au.
For daily updates, subscribe to The Front in your podcast app.
The National Sexual Assault Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service can be reached on 1800RESPECT.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Handcuffed and in prison greens, Christopher Michael Dawson faces a new charge – this time, unlawful carnal knowledge of a 16-year-old schoolgirl. The charge dates back to 1980, when he was her sports teacher at a Northern Beaches high school.
Dawson denies the charge, and will argue instead they didn't have sex until after her 17th birthday.
We trace this story back to the start, unpack the history of this antiquated-sounding charge, find out what's happening with Dawson's murder appeal, and bring you all the action from Day 1 of this gripping new trial.
To read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the trial, search The Teacher's Accuser or visit theteachersaccuser.com.au.
For daily updates, subscribe to The Front in your podcast app.
The National Sexual Assault Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service can be reached on 1800RESPECT.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Just months into his 24-year prison term for murdering wife Lynette Simms, Chris Dawson is back before the courts, pleading not guilty to carnal knowledge of a schoolgirl in 1980, when he was her sports teacher.
Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, Matthew Condon, Kristen Amiet and Jasper Leak return with Season 2 of our acclaimed podcast The Teacher’s Trial.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Christopher Michael Dawson will likely die in prison. That was the stark declaration of Justice Ian Harrison SC in the NSW Supreme Court, sentencing Dawson to 24 years imprisonment with no chance of parole until 2040.
We hear every word of Justice Ian Harrison’s sentencing remarks, plus reactions from Lyn and Chris’ family, and from the police and lawyers. And we revisit some of the voices you heard right at the beginning of this podcast investigation: the women who believed Lyn had been murdered, and who refused to be silent.
Plus, Hedley meets one very special member of our audience.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lyn's oldest daughter, Shanelle Dawson, walked into a Sydney courtroom and spoke from the heart about the killing of her mother, the selfishness of her father, and the ongoing damage to her life as a result of the murder. Shanelle's extraordinary victim impact statement, delivered by her through tears, sorrow and anger, brought witnesses and even court staff to tears.
Lyn's siblings, Greg Simms and Pat Jenkins, shared their pain too, as Justice Ian Harrison weighed the sentence he will impose on convicted killer Chris Dawson, 40 years after Lyn's death.
To read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the trial, search 'The Teacher's Trial' or go here.
The National Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Counselling Service can be reached on 1800RESPECT. Lifeline can be reached on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.