The Teacher's Trial Crime X

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. 
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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.

Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon return to cover hearings in a major public inquiry into Queensland's state-run DNA lab. 

A new episode will be published at the end of every week, for the duration of the inquiry.

Search for Shandee's Story in your podcast app, and press follow or subscribe to be notified when new episodes are released. You can read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the inquiry at theaustralian.com.au. 
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In our third and final episode diving into Justice Ian Harrison's meticulously detailed judgment, we look at the evidence of Lyn being bruised and her accounts of being subjected to acts of violence at the hands of her husband Chris.

Hedley, Claire, Matthew, and David also discuss the judge’s findings about the evidence given by members of the Simms and Dawson camps, as well as “the paper boy" and "the trolley boy".

As this will be our final episode for some time, we consider Lyn Dawson's legacy and hear from one listener about the profound impact a verdict 40 years in the making has had on her.

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.

“A brilliant piece of writing.” That’s the verdict of acclaimed author Matthew Condon on Justice Ian Harrison’s 238-page judgment. Our in-depth analysis of the decision begins with the lie that brought Chris Dawson's defence undone: a call – supposedly made by his wife, Lyn – to  the Northbridge Baths on January 9, 1982.

Hedley, Claire, David, and Matthew also take a closer look at the evidence of JC, turning up damning details of how Dawson would buy the teenage student chocolate before they had sex in his car. The convicted killer’s sex with JC continued in his school office, at his university, his twin brother’s home and in his own home when Lyn was in the shower or asleep.

We revisit comments by the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery QC, in 2018 that Lyn could still be alive, that shocked her family. And Hedley and Claire meet The Honourable Geoffrey Davies, a former judge of the Queensland Court of Appeal, who says it’s hard to understand how it took 40 years to prosecute.

You can see Liam Mendes' photo of Paul Dawson here. 

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.

Forty years after Lyn Dawson disappeared from Sydney's Northern Beaches, Christopher Michael Dawson has been convicted of her murder. In this episode, we'll take you to the moments leading up to and following that pivotal moment. 

Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon share their experience of being in the courtroom when Justice Ian Harrison handed down his explosive verdict. Plus, we'll hear what this finding means for Lyn's family, who never stopped fighting for justice for their beloved daughter, sister, and aunt. 

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.