A Sydney court has reported a journalist who did a podcast on the disappearance of Sydney woman Lynette Dawson, who has made inappropriate comments to the media about the ongoing murder trial.
Key points:
- Teacher’s Pet creator Hedley Thomas denied attempting to incite prejudice against Chris Dawson
- Chris Dawson’s attorney said Mr. Thomas was inadequate
- Judge Ian Harrison said he would prefer to focus on trial evidence at the moment
Former high school teacher and Newtown Jets rugby league player Chris Dawson, 73, is on trial on charges of murdering his wife Lynette, who disappeared in 1982.
The case for the crown is that she wanted to have a “free relationship” with the family’s nanny, a 16-year-old student at Cromer High School where she taught physical education.
Dawson, who was charged in 2018, has pleaded not guilty.
Dawson’s attorney, Pauline David, told the Supreme Court that witness Hedley Thomas recently offered media comments about the case.
She told the court it was inappropriate for a witness to do so while the lengthy trial was still underway.
The journalist testified about his award-winning podcast The Teacher’s Pet, denying he tried to “incite prejudice against the accused.”
Judge Ian Harrison noted that this was a single trial and would prefer to focus on trial evidence now rather than any allegations of inappropriate comments.
“If someone wants to deal with it in due course or raise it again with me later, that can happen,” the judge said.
Chris and Lynette Dawson were photographed together in 1966. (Supplied.)
Mrs David has tendered dozens of Mr Dawson’s phone calls which were recorded by police from 1999 to around 2018.
In calls to court today, Mr Dawson referred to media reports of his wife’s disappearance as “shit” and alleged that Thomas made “a big fortune” with the podcast.
Dawson said in another call that 2GB station Chris Smith had no right to criticize him, because Mr Smith had been “accused of exposing himself to a Christmas party”.
Calls between Mr. Dawson and his identical twin brother Paul Dawson on the night of September 9, 2018 were also tendered on Wednesday.
The calls were made after Thomas showed up at 60 Minutes, talking about Mrs. Dawson’s disappearance.
Mr. Dawson told his brother that Mr. Thomas was a male, trying to be “prosecutor, judge and juror.”
“The boy has never met me,” he said.
Crown prosecutor Craig Everson SC told Judge Harrison today that he had finished his trial.
The trial continues.
Posted 9 hours 9 hours agoTh 30 June 2022 at 04:04, updated 6 hours 6 hours agoJune 30, 2022 at 07:41