WEBVTT - From The Front: The Teacher's Appeal

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<v Speaker 1>From the Australian. Here's what's on the front. I'm Claire Harvey,

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<v Speaker 1>the kids, the house and the teenage babysitter. That's what

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<v Speaker 1>Chris Dawson wanted, says a judge hearing the former rugby

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<v Speaker 1>league stars appeal on his murder conviction. Dawson is attempting

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<v Speaker 1>to demonstrate his wife, Lynn, who hasn't been seen by

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<v Speaker 1>her family since nineteen eighty two, may have just walked

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<v Speaker 1>out on him and their little girls. That's today's episode.

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<v Speaker 1>Sydney in January is hot and sticky. New Year's bring

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<v Speaker 1>temperatures over forty degrees on some days and violent afternoon

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<v Speaker 1>storms in the earliest days of nineteen eighty two. That

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<v Speaker 1>was very much the case. On January ninth, nineteen eighty two,

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<v Speaker 1>a young father from Sydney's Northern Beaches arranged to take

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<v Speaker 1>his two daughters, then aged just four and two years old,

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<v Speaker 1>to a local title pool to escape the heat. There

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<v Speaker 1>they paddled in the shadows, supported by their dad, a

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<v Speaker 1>tanned athletic Chris Dawson. Their maternal grandma, Helena Simms, was there,

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<v Speaker 1>so was one of Dawson's friends, Philip Day. It was

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<v Speaker 1>during this outing that Dawson claims he received a phone

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<v Speaker 1>call from his wife, Lynnette. He says she told him

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<v Speaker 1>she wanted to get away for a few days clear

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<v Speaker 1>her head. Lynn's family never saw her again. In twenty

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<v Speaker 1>twenty two, more than forty years after that summer day

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<v Speaker 1>at Northbridge Baths, Justice he and Harrison in the New

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<v Speaker 1>Southwald Supreme Court found Christopher Michael Dawson guilty of Lynnette's murder.

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<v Speaker 1>The judge said that on that day at the baths,

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<v Speaker 1>Chris had already murdered Lynn and left her body in

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<v Speaker 1>their home, planning to return later than dispose of her remains.

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<v Speaker 2>Christopher Michael Dawson on the charge. Then, about eight January

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<v Speaker 2>nineteen eighty two, at Dayview or elsewhere in the state

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<v Speaker 2>of New South Wales, you did murder Lynette Dawson. I

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<v Speaker 2>find you guilty.

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<v Speaker 1>On Monday, almost two years after Justice Harrison sentenced Dawson

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<v Speaker 1>to twenty four years in prison, Dawson's appeal got underway

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<v Speaker 1>in the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal. His

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<v Speaker 1>public defender, Belinda Rigg SC says the evidence doesn't stack up.

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<v Speaker 1>We've used a voice actor or to bring you the

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<v Speaker 1>words spoken in court.

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<v Speaker 3>The evidence is not sufficient in its nature and quality

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<v Speaker 3>for the inferences to be drawn beyond reasonable doubt.

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<v Speaker 1>That trip to the North Bridge barths is central to

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<v Speaker 1>Dawson's application. In the trial, Prosecutor Craig Everson SC told

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<v Speaker 1>the court Dawson had invited Lynn's mum, Helena Simms, and

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<v Speaker 1>friend Philip Day to the baths on that day so

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<v Speaker 1>they could see him be called into the pool office

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<v Speaker 1>to take a long distance phone call. That's the call

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<v Speaker 1>Dawson claims was from Lynn. The Crown also alleged, and

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<v Speaker 1>Justice Ian Harrison agreed it was all part of Dawson's

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<v Speaker 1>plan to get his little girls out of the way

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<v Speaker 1>for the night. He told Philip Day that Lynn wanted

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<v Speaker 1>the girls to spend the night with their grandma on

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<v Speaker 1>the other side of Sydney. Justice An Harrison found that

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<v Speaker 1>was so Dawson could go home alone and deal with

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<v Speaker 1>Lynn's remains, but Dawson's public defender Belinda Rigg SC said

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<v Speaker 1>that's probably reading too much into it.

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<v Speaker 3>The Crown at trial suggests that there was some sinister

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<v Speaker 3>or underhand aspect to this relationship, to this arrangement with

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<v Speaker 3>mister Day.

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<v Speaker 1>Justice Christine Adamson one of the three Supreme Court justices

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<v Speaker 1>hearing the appeal, asked rig if she meant to argue

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<v Speaker 1>that Dawson could have murdered Lynn at a later day.

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<v Speaker 1>That is, the judge wanted to know. Are you saying

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<v Speaker 1>Dawson could have murdered Lynne, but he just didn't murder

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<v Speaker 1>her at the time the Crown has alleged, No.

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<v Speaker 3>Your honor, it's submitted that it is a reasonable hypothesis,

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<v Speaker 3>consistent with innocence, that she was alive at that time.

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<v Speaker 3>The Crown has undertaken a trial to disprove that as

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<v Speaker 3>an indispensable intermediate fact, And it's not an issue in

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<v Speaker 3>these proceedings that he might have murdered her but at

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<v Speaker 3>a different point in time after that afternoon. No, it's

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<v Speaker 3>a crucial issue whether there's a reasonable possibility that Lynett

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<v Speaker 3>Dawson called the north Bridge Barths on the afternoon of

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<v Speaker 3>the ninth of January, which would result in the acquittal

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<v Speaker 3>of the applicant.

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<v Speaker 1>One of the grounds of Dawson's appeal is that the

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<v Speaker 1>evidence didn't establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Lynn was

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<v Speaker 1>dead on January nine. One of Harrison's reasons for his

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<v Speaker 1>finding was that Lynn didn't communicate with any family members

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<v Speaker 1>after that date, but rig argued, these long breaks in

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<v Speaker 1>communication won't I common. Just a note on this, Belinda

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<v Speaker 1>Rigg and the judges call Lynn miss Dawson. Her legal

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<v Speaker 1>name was Lynette Dawson, but her family has asked us

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<v Speaker 1>to call her by her maiden name, Lynette Simms.

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<v Speaker 3>Miss Dawson's sister, Pat Jenkins didn't have a phone at

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<v Speaker 3>her home at Stuart's Point on the Mid North Coast.

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<v Speaker 3>She was at that time speaking quickly and breathing heavily,

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<v Speaker 3>and she offered for her to come and stay with her.

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<v Speaker 3>At that time, Miss Dawson had a very close relationship

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<v Speaker 3>with her mother, But there's nothing in Helena sims diary

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<v Speaker 3>entries for October nineteen eighty one to January nineteen eighty

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<v Speaker 3>two or otherwise, or other evidence in the trial suggesting

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<v Speaker 3>that they had daily contact or anything close to that

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<v Speaker 3>with one another.

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<v Speaker 1>Belinda Rigg said lynd Dawson's mindsetting the lead up to

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<v Speaker 1>her disappearance indicated it was possible that Dawson didn't kill

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<v Speaker 1>her at all, that she left the family home at

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<v Speaker 1>Bayview and her small children of her own volition. Rigg

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<v Speaker 1>said the young mum wasn't coping because Dawson was angry,

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<v Speaker 1>incommunicative and reluctant to be intimate with his wife. Plus

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<v Speaker 1>she was distraught at the arrival in her home of

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<v Speaker 1>a teenage babysitter. This girl is known by the acronym

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<v Speaker 1>JC because she was a child during significant parts of

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<v Speaker 1>this story. J C was sixteen years old when, according

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<v Speaker 1>to the finding of another court, Dawson, her school teacher,

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<v Speaker 1>illegally had sex with her. He's been convicted of unlawful

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<v Speaker 1>carnal knowledge and is serving a three year sentence for that.

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<v Speaker 1>J C was the family babysitter, but Dawson was infatuated

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<v Speaker 1>with her and had moved her into their home for

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<v Speaker 1>long periods of time. Lynn knew she and Chris were

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<v Speaker 1>having sex, and she was distraught.

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<v Speaker 3>She had found him in bed in their home with JC.

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<v Speaker 3>She had found her topless and naked in their family pool,

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<v Speaker 3>and her loss of self esteem and devastation at those

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<v Speaker 3>circumstances were discussed with friends and work colleagues.

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<v Speaker 1>So this is Chris Dawson's public defender arguing that because

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<v Speaker 1>Dawson was being unfaithful with a schoolgirl, Lynn was in

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<v Speaker 1>such despair that she might well have left her beloved

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<v Speaker 1>children and her home. It's a tough case for a

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<v Speaker 1>barrister to argue, even one as learned as Belinda Wigg.

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<v Speaker 1>So what about the fact that witnesses said Lynn would

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<v Speaker 1>never voluntarily leave her kids. Belinda Rigg said Lynn knew

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<v Speaker 1>the girls would be well cared for by their father.

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<v Speaker 3>There was a considerable body of evidence that mister Dawson

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<v Speaker 3>was and was well known to Miss Dawson to be

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<v Speaker 3>highly capable of looking after the children. Miss Dawson would

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<v Speaker 3>sit and chat with the other women at the picnics,

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<v Speaker 3>and it would always be mister Dawson who was playing

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<v Speaker 3>with the children, changing nappies, looking after the children's needs.

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<v Speaker 1>That a woman would voluntarily abandon her children wasn't an

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<v Speaker 1>entirely novel concept for Christie. We heard in the murder

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<v Speaker 1>trial that there was a family story about a woman

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<v Speaker 1>who'd done just that. This was the mother of Chris's brother,

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<v Speaker 1>Peter Dawson's ex wife, Lynnell. Lennelle's mother had left the

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<v Speaker 1>family when Lynnell was just a child. Belinda Rigg argued

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<v Speaker 1>this could go some way to explaining Chris Dawson's actions

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<v Speaker 1>in the crucial days and weeks after Lynn disappeared.

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<v Speaker 3>That situation, having so starkly occurred in the Dawson family

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<v Speaker 3>and well known to them, may well have contributed, amongst

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<v Speaker 3>other things, to Chris Dawson not doing everything within his

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<v Speaker 3>power to go and find his wife, just.

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<v Speaker 1>As Adamson was curious about this.

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<v Speaker 4>So in those circumstances where somebody who's really desperate to

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<v Speaker 4>be a mother only becomes a mother seven years after

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<v Speaker 4>she's been married, absolutely adores her children, it's difficult to

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<v Speaker 4>see how the applicant's former sister in law's mother can

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<v Speaker 4>really have a bearing on that normalization, given the focus

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<v Speaker 4>of miss Dawson on getting pregnant and her joy at

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<v Speaker 4>having the two children.

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<v Speaker 3>Rigg responded, his conduct on his own account of what

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<v Speaker 3>happened is uncaring and perhaps callous in terms of just

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<v Speaker 3>continuing things with j C in the house and not

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<v Speaker 3>making a greater effort than he did to find his wife.

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<v Speaker 3>But it is of some importance that there was this

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<v Speaker 3>big feature in their family of a woman who had

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<v Speaker 3>left and set up her own life, that he might

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<v Speaker 3>not necessarily presume something bad had happened to his wife.

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<v Speaker 3>He might think it more plausible than another person might

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<v Speaker 3>that his wife had simply decided to move on and

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<v Speaker 3>set up a new life for herself.

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<v Speaker 1>Justice and Harrison found it was Chris Dawson's infatuation with

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<v Speaker 1>j C, his student and the teenage babysitter who he

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<v Speaker 1>later married, and his fear of losing her that ultimately

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<v Speaker 1>motivated him to kill Lynn. Glinda Rigg said, for the

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<v Speaker 1>most part, the judge in the original trial was right

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<v Speaker 1>to believe jac's evidence.

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<v Speaker 3>That evidence demonstrates a passion love for j C on

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<v Speaker 3>Dawson's part, which is relevant to the motive the Crown

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<v Speaker 3>relies upon in this case. The evidence indicates that both

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<v Speaker 3>JC and the applicant went away towards Queensland a day

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<v Speaker 3>or two before Christmas nineteen eighty one with the intention

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<v Speaker 3>of not returning to Sydney to start a new life.

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<v Speaker 3>That's jc's evidence. By boxing day, jc's evidence was that

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<v Speaker 3>she did not want the relationship to continue.

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<v Speaker 1>So this was a trip When Chris Dawson was in

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<v Speaker 1>his early thirties and j C was eighteen. Dawson was

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<v Speaker 1>married to Lynn and lived with her and their two

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<v Speaker 1>little girls. He and j C ran away to Queensland together,

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<v Speaker 1>leaving Lynn and the little girls alone for Christmas. But

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<v Speaker 1>in the murder trial, jac said she was no longer

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<v Speaker 1>wanting the relationship with Dawson by then. She gave evidence

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<v Speaker 1>she was so anxious on that trip she became nauseous

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<v Speaker 1>and broke out in hives. They turned around and headed

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<v Speaker 1>back to Sydney. Back at the murder trial, the Crown

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<v Speaker 1>argued j c's reluctance made Dawson panic, that he decided

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<v Speaker 1>to get rid of Linn because he was terrified of

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<v Speaker 1>losing JC. In court on Monday, Belinda Riggs said that

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't right.

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<v Speaker 3>There was ongoing contact between the applicant and JC between

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<v Speaker 3>Boxing Day and the time she went to Southwest Rocks

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<v Speaker 3>on a holiday with friends.

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<v Speaker 1>Rick argued Dawson's insistence that JC call him on a

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<v Speaker 1>daily basis while she was on a trip with her

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<v Speaker 1>friends to a beach town called Southwest Rocks that was

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<v Speaker 1>an evidence he was jealous or possessive of her, especially

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<v Speaker 1>given he didn't try to stop her from going on

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<v Speaker 1>the trip.

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<v Speaker 3>That's not necessarily reflective of a possessiveness or a jealousy

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<v Speaker 3>as distinct from a more usual type of way people

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<v Speaker 3>who are romantically involved with one another or have been

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<v Speaker 3>romantically involved with one another might speak with one another.

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<v Speaker 1>Justice Adamson probed Dawson's obsession with JC further. She suggested

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<v Speaker 1>Dawson wanted to have it all.

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<v Speaker 4>The applicant, from his point of view, wanted to keep

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<v Speaker 4>the children, wanted to keep the house, and wanted to

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<v Speaker 4>keep JC, and one way of doing that would be

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<v Speaker 4>to murder his wife.

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<v Speaker 1>But rig said the fact that Dawson had planned to

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<v Speaker 1>leave his home and the children for a new life

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<v Speaker 1>in Queensland a fortnight earlier was evidence he wasn't particularly

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<v Speaker 1>concerned about the financial implications of his actions. Justice Adamson

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't satisfied.

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<v Speaker 4>His brother, who was a solicitor, said, look, if you

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<v Speaker 4>leave that house, you might jeopardize your financial interest in

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<v Speaker 4>that house, and he described the pre Christmas departure as

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<v Speaker 4>impulsive because he was so desperate to be with JC.

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<v Speaker 3>And Rigg responded, there was obviously a financial impact upon

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<v Speaker 3>the applicant, potentially in leaving the house and in leaving

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<v Speaker 3>his wife in the circumstances that he had, but it

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<v Speaker 3>wasn't something he'd shown himself to be overly troubled by

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<v Speaker 3>in the circumstances.

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<v Speaker 1>Rig also revisited an assertion made in the murder trial

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<v Speaker 1>by Dawson's former barrister, Pauline David, that Dawson loved both women,

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<v Speaker 1>Lynn and j C. Simultaneously. She said Jace's withdraw will

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<v Speaker 1>actually brought him closer to Lynn. They attended marriage counseling

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<v Speaker 1>and manly and were seen holding hands shortly thereafter.

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<v Speaker 3>The evidence in our submission indicated that when j C

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<v Speaker 3>withdrew from him in January nineteen eighty two, he made

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<v Speaker 3>more effort in the relationship with his wife. Lynn was

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<v Speaker 3>observed to be positive and happy after the counseling, and

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<v Speaker 3>she and Dawson were seen holding hands. They were both

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<v Speaker 3>in particularly good spirits, were holding hands and once again

0:13:33.679 --> 0:13:34.320
<v Speaker 3>felt close.

0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:39.080
<v Speaker 1>But j C moved into the family home at Bayview

0:13:39.160 --> 0:13:43.400
<v Speaker 1>just days after Lynd disappeared. J C testified at trial

0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.120
<v Speaker 1>that during that time she slept in the marital bed

0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:51.440
<v Speaker 1>with Dawson and wore Lynn's clothes at his encouragement. Belinda

0:13:51.480 --> 0:13:55.160
<v Speaker 1>Rigg said that doesn't necessarily mean Dawson killed Lynn. It

0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:58.120
<v Speaker 1>was here that just as Julie Ward, the President of

0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:01.560
<v Speaker 1>the Court of Appeal took up the questioning. Ward said

0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:03.720
<v Speaker 1>it would be odd for someone to give his wife's

0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:07.320
<v Speaker 1>clothing to his lover if he expected she'd return home

0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:07.960
<v Speaker 1>at some point.

0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:12.560
<v Speaker 3>Rigg responded, if all his attention was for his wife,

0:14:12.800 --> 0:14:15.200
<v Speaker 3>and it was being contented that his only love was

0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:17.880
<v Speaker 3>for his wife, and the only thing he wanted was

0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:20.840
<v Speaker 3>for his relationship with his wife to be fixed, it

0:14:20.880 --> 0:14:23.720
<v Speaker 3>would then be incongruous for him to allow JC to

0:14:23.760 --> 0:14:25.920
<v Speaker 3>stay in the house and to allow her to wear

0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:29.720
<v Speaker 3>clothes of his wife. But if his greater focus was

0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:32.160
<v Speaker 3>on JC at the time that she was there with him,

0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:35.440
<v Speaker 3>it doesn't necessarily indicate a knowledge that his wife had

0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:39.560
<v Speaker 3>died or responsibility for that. It's in circumstances where the

0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:42.400
<v Speaker 3>Crown has emphasized the passion that he had for JC,

0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:46.000
<v Speaker 3>it might then be said he's not going to necessarily

0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:49.120
<v Speaker 3>be clear headed and completely logical and aversive of risk.

0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:53.360
<v Speaker 1>The third judge on the bench, just as Anthony Payne,

0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:55.960
<v Speaker 1>chimed in at this point. He asked if an innocent

0:14:56.000 --> 0:14:59.200
<v Speaker 1>person would move a teenager into the marital bed after

0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:03.440
<v Speaker 1>his wife's dizzib appearance. Belinda Rigg was frank in her response.

0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:06.760
<v Speaker 3>It's not admirable, it's not wise. The nature of his

0:15:06.840 --> 0:15:10.040
<v Speaker 3>interest in JC is in our submission, related to the

0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.600
<v Speaker 3>very reason why his wife left to take some time

0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:19.040
<v Speaker 3>to herself. They're not strangely coincidental occurrences. These occurrences are,

0:15:19.240 --> 0:15:21.680
<v Speaker 3>in our submission, intertwined with one another.

0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:24.200
<v Speaker 1>She said. Dawson was aware he'd have to deal with

0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:28.280
<v Speaker 1>the consequences Eve and when Lynn returned to Bayview, just

0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:29.520
<v Speaker 1>as Adamson asked.

0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:33.360
<v Speaker 4>Because you might say, well, she's already forgiven him for

0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.360
<v Speaker 4>going off with JC to Queensland. She's been prepared to

0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:40.360
<v Speaker 4>undertake marriage counseling. Miss Dawson obviously adored the children and

0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.640
<v Speaker 4>he could, as it were, count on her good will

0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:43.880
<v Speaker 4>in future if need be.

0:15:44.520 --> 0:15:49.960
<v Speaker 3>Rigg responded, partly, your honor, But the situation on Dawson's

0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:52.360
<v Speaker 3>account is that his view was that Miss Dawson had

0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:56.320
<v Speaker 3>left him without his agreement. On nine January nineteen eighty two.

0:15:56.640 --> 0:15:58.840
<v Speaker 3>Part of the request made to j C was for

0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:01.080
<v Speaker 3>her to look after the chew dren, and she did

0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:03.720
<v Speaker 3>have a history of having looked after the children, so

0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:06.080
<v Speaker 3>that's part of the context in which her presence in

0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:11.880
<v Speaker 3>the house could be explicable. But additionally, if JC being

0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:15.000
<v Speaker 3>back in the house then reignited his relationship with JC,

0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:18.680
<v Speaker 3>his focus then may very well have been on JC,

0:16:19.240 --> 0:16:21.480
<v Speaker 3>despite the fact that he would have been required to

0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:24.920
<v Speaker 3>resolve in some way his circumstances with his wife once

0:16:24.960 --> 0:16:28.800
<v Speaker 3>she came back, whether that's by an amicable separation or

0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:30.160
<v Speaker 3>the sale of the house.

0:16:34.400 --> 0:16:37.600
<v Speaker 1>Coming up why Chris Dawson says it's the police's vault.

0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:42.600
<v Speaker 1>Lynn's killer wasn't caught earlier. Subscribers to The Australian get

0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:45.720
<v Speaker 1>to read all are exclusive analysis plus the take from

0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:49.160
<v Speaker 1>the Teacher's Pet creator Hedley Thomas at the Australian dot

0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:54.080
<v Speaker 1>com dot u and we'll be back after this break.

0:17:01.200 --> 0:17:03.840
<v Speaker 1>The phone call Chris Dawson says he got during that

0:17:03.880 --> 0:17:05.920
<v Speaker 1>trip to the North Bridge baths goes to one of

0:17:05.960 --> 0:17:09.000
<v Speaker 1>the other grounds for his appeal. He says it was

0:17:09.119 --> 0:17:12.040
<v Speaker 1>unfair for Justice and Harrison to conclude the call happened

0:17:12.080 --> 0:17:16.359
<v Speaker 1>because he's at a significant forensic disadvantage due to the

0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:21.280
<v Speaker 1>long delay by police in bringing charges. Dawson's wife, Lynn Simms,

0:17:21.280 --> 0:17:25.840
<v Speaker 1>disappeared in early January nineteen eighty two. Dawson wasn't charged

0:17:25.840 --> 0:17:29.280
<v Speaker 1>with her murder until twenty eighteen, following the release of

0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:33.560
<v Speaker 1>The Australian's investigative podcast The Teacher's Pet, made by our

0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:38.320
<v Speaker 1>colleague Headley Thomas. So Dawson can't prove if the call happened,

0:17:38.440 --> 0:17:42.000
<v Speaker 1>or if it did who made it. On Monday, the

0:17:42.040 --> 0:17:45.440
<v Speaker 1>public defender for Chris Dawson, Belinda riggerc so the forty

0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:47.800
<v Speaker 1>year old phone records were no longer able to be

0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:50.639
<v Speaker 1>scrutinized and that put the former school teacher in a

0:17:50.640 --> 0:17:54.600
<v Speaker 1>tough spot. But just as Christine Adamson said, it goes

0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:55.560
<v Speaker 1>both ways.

0:17:56.520 --> 0:17:58.919
<v Speaker 4>Right, and the Crown has lost capacity to show that

0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:01.840
<v Speaker 4>it came from someone else else, like, for example, JC

0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:04.919
<v Speaker 4>or some member of the family. So in terms of

0:18:05.000 --> 0:18:10.000
<v Speaker 4>forensic disadvantage, both parties have potentially suffered forensic disadvantage and

0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:13.720
<v Speaker 4>there's no particular way of knowing what that forensic disadvantage is.

0:18:13.720 --> 0:18:14.480
<v Speaker 3>Is that not right?

0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:18.760
<v Speaker 1>Belinda Rigg said the law wasn't designed to protect the crown,

0:18:19.200 --> 0:18:22.720
<v Speaker 1>it was designed to ensure accused people got a fair trial.

0:18:30.400 --> 0:18:32.359
<v Speaker 1>Come back to the front tomorrow for all the evidence

0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:35.239
<v Speaker 1>from day two of Chris Dawson's appeal, and keep up

0:18:35.280 --> 0:18:37.800
<v Speaker 1>with the federal budget and all are reporting at the

0:18:37.880 --> 0:18:39.679
<v Speaker 1>Australian dot com dot au