Chris Dawson‘s official trial date for allegedly murdering his wife, Lynette, has been set for May 9 next year.
Chris Dawson is accused of killing his wife in Sydney’s Northern Beaches nearly 40 years ago. On Friday, he was told by the NSW Supreme Court that he will face an eight-week trial beginning on May 9 in 2022.
The trial will be held in front of a jury, as per Dawson and his solicitor Greg Walsh‘s request. Walsh also added that Dawson has faced a number of serious injuries recently, as well as suffering from depression.
“I can indicate at this stage it will be a jury trial,” Walsh said.
“However, the accused has in recent times had two serious falls and he suffered serious injuries. And also he’s suffering from depression.”
Last month, the Court of Criminal Appeal rejected Dawson’s application to halt the proceedings. He argued that the “pre-trial publicity” created through the popularity of a podcast on the matter would affect the trial.
For legal reasons, we cannot name the podcast.
“Mr Dawson argued that these matters, either alone or together, would render any trial necessarily unfair and that if he were convicted, this would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. He, therefore, sought a permanent stay,” a judgment summary read.
“A permanent stay of proceedings, if granted, would mean that Mr Dawson would not stand trial on the charge of murder.”
The former Newtown rugby league player maintains that Lynette is still alive, and said that several people have seen her since her disappearance in 1982.
In 2018, the 72 year old was charged with Lynette Dawson’s murder with the assistance of a popular podcast and new testimonies which “helped [police] tie the pieces of the puzzle together.”
The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed that one of these testimonies was provided by Dawson’s lover Joanne Curtis, who moved into the Dawson family home in Bayview days after Lynette’s disappearance.
Joanne Curtis was 16 at the time she began an affair with Chris Dawson (her teacher), she also babysat the couple’s daughters.
