40 episodes

From Hedley Thomas and the journalists at The Australian, The Teacher's Trial follows the events in the trial of Chris Dawson, who is accused of the murder of his wife Lynette Dawson. To read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the trial search The Teacher's Trial or click here.

The Teacher's Trial Crime X

    • News
    • 4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

From Hedley Thomas and the journalists at The Australian, The Teacher's Trial follows the events in the trial of Chris Dawson, who is accused of the murder of his wife Lynette Dawson. To read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the trial search The Teacher's Trial or click here.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Hear Live Lehrmann trial updates

    Hear Live Lehrmann trial updates

    We're covering another huge trial every day on The Australian's daily news podcast The Front. 

    Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app.

    This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet, and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Original music is composed by Jasper Leak.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 24 min
    Bonus episode: Hedley reads Chapter 1 of his new book, The Teacher's Pet

    Bonus episode: Hedley reads Chapter 1 of his new book, The Teacher's Pet

    Listen to Hedley Thomas reading Chapter 1 of his new book, The Teacher's Pet.

    The book is published by Pan Macmillan and is available at all good bookstores, and wherever you get audiobooks. 
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 25 min
    The Teacher's Accuser Episode 7: Between The Lines

    The Teacher's Accuser Episode 7: Between The Lines

    Three books on this remarkable story are published: Hedley Thomas’ book The Teacher’s Pet, Shanelle Dawson’s memoir My Mother’s Eyes, and lawyer Rebecca Hazel’s The Schoolgirl, Her Teacher, and His Wife. 

    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.

    • 1 hr 24 min
    The Teacher’s Accuser Episode 6: Ducking And Weaving

    The Teacher’s Accuser Episode 6: Ducking And Weaving

    Hedley and the team are back to dissect Judge Sarah Huggett’s three-year sentence for Chris Dawson’s unlawful carnal knowledge of a schoolgirl. 

    But in another court, a new drama plays out as education authorities try to dodge accountability for his crimes. We hear the first-hand accounts of students who encountered Dawson in his heyday, and examine the prison reality of a man whose narcissism has brought him all the way back to where it all began. 

    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.

    • 1 hr 23 min
    From The Front: Three more years for Chris Dawson

    From The Front: Three more years for Chris Dawson

    Grey, shrunken and hiding his face, Chris Dawson is sentenced for unlawful carnal knowledge of a schoolgirl. Hedley Thomas joins us.

    Find out more about The Front podcast here and read about this story and more on The Australian's website or search for The Australian in your app store.

    This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet, and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Original music is composed by Jasper Leak.

     
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 18 min
    From The Front: Inside podcasting with Hedley Thomas and David Murray

    From The Front: Inside podcasting with Hedley Thomas and David Murray

    Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey and David Murray reveal how our smash-hit podcasts get made.

    Find out more about The Front podcast here and read about this story and more on The Australian's website or search for The Australian in your app store.

    This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Kristen Amiet, and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our regular host is Claire Harvey and original music is composed by Jasper Leak.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 43 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
1.2K Ratings

1.2K Ratings

Ralph'smum ,

Continuing to illuminate!

Thank you so much for continuing to get voice to those who need it, and show up behaviours for what they are.
I found AB’s first contact with Chris Dawson chilling - showing her the topless photo that was doing the rounds at school.
Any male teacher concerned or even thinking that AB should know, would have given the photo to a mature female teacher to discuss with AB. Even all those years ago.

That it occurred at the beginning of his time as her teacher, a position that inherently has the understanding that a student does what the teacher says, shows how much of a velvet boxing glove he used. It wasn’t fatherly, it was the social equivalent of a football tackle. And to a child.

Knowing too, from the past trial, that he will tell her later that he decided not to pay a hit man to get Lynette out of the way - he had so many ways of softly threatening her. Telling her that he didn’t want innocent people hurt. She thought how nice - because she was a child. How could she consciously realise that he had also told her that that was something he was prepared to consider for people who got in the way of him having what he wanted. One wonders who the innocent people he referred to were. But I imagine, somewhere deep inside her she registered this.

I deeply applaud her courage.

Tayla1996 ,

Perfect!!

Brilliantly done!
Episodes go for the right amount of time!
Keep up the amazing work!!

JulesyKB ,

Absolutely fabulous !

Absolutely fabulous. What a team - what a podcast !!
Makes me cringe to hear AB refer to herself and friends as the cool group and can’t help but think that the attention from her teacher may have been flattering at the time.
Preceded by turbulence in our home, My parents separated when I was 15 but I can say with certainty that i retained a strong sense of wrong and right and would have known that sleeping with my married teacher was wrong.
My heart breaks for the daughters

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