© Archive of Chris Dawson with his wife Lynette (date unknown)
A former Australian high school teacher convicted of murdering his wife following a hit podcast unearthed new evidence was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Friday. Chris Dawson, 74, was convicted of killing Lynette Dawson some 40 years ago while having an affair with a teenage girl, his children’s babysitter and former student.
The victim’s body was never found and few leads emerged in the case until 2018, when “The Teacher’s Pet” podcast sparked renewed public interest and ultimately a new police investigation. The murder was motivated by Mr Dawson’s ‘possessive infatuation’ with his former student, which led him to kill his wife, Judge Ian Harrison said on Friday when announcing the 24-year prison sentence, accompanied by a security period of 18 years. “Mr Dawson isn’t old by contemporary standards, but he won’t live to the end of his bail“, he added.
Mr. Dawson vigorously maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
The podcast that unearthed this case
“The Teacher’s Pet” was hosted by journalist Hedley Thomas, and a few months following its first episodes aired, Dawson was arrested in December 2018.
It has often been compared to the “Serial” podcast, a benchmark of the genre in the United States, which played a central role in overturning a man’s conviction for the murder of his girlfriend.
On Friday, Lynette Dawson’s brother, Greg Simms, thanked Mr Thomas. “I hope the media and the police will work together in future cases“, he commented following the sentencing. “It’s time for us to start living our lives without having this story over our heads.“.
