Chris Dawson breaks his silence ahead of judge-only trial for the alleged murder of his first wife, Lynette, 40 years ago
- Chris Dawson has travelled to Sydney for judge-only trial, which begins Monday
- Accused of killing his first wife Lynette, 33, who vanished in January 1982
- Dawson, now73, has pleaded not guilty to her murder after charged in 2018
- He says he looks forward to justice and just wants the truth to finally come out
Chris Dawson has broken his silence as he travelled to Sydney to face trial over the alleged murder of his first wife 40 years ago, saying he just wants the truth to come out.
The former professional rugby league player and teacher, is accused of killing his first wife Lynette following her 1982 disappearance on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Dawson’s application to face a judge-alone trial for the alleged murder was granted last week, days out from the start of trial which begins in Sydney on Monday.
Dressed in a collared shirt and jeans, a quietly confident Dawson said he was looking forward to justice while checking in alone at an airport on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for his flight to Sydney on Sunday.
Chris Dawson is facing trial over the alleged murder of wife Lynette Dawson 40 years ago (pictured on their wedding day)
‘I’m looking forward to justice being served and the truth coming in the next few weeks,’ he told Nine News.
‘I just want the truth to come out.’
He refused to comment when he later approached by a reporter upon arrival in Sydney.
The Supreme Court of NSW agreed to the judge-only trial last week after Dawson successfully argued he could not be given a fair trial before a jury.
Dawson, 73 has pleaded not guilty to murdering his first wife Lynette and has always denied having anything to do with her disappearance.
He was charged in 2018 following years of public scrutiny.
Dawson had hoped to delay the hearing in the hope it would advance his appeal to be granted public money to mount the defence for his upcoming trial.
The Supreme Court trial is expected to cost Dawson hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal expenses.
Chris Dawson (pictured on Sunday) broke his silence before travelling to Sydney for the start of his trial, which begins on Monday
Dawson remained free in the community on bail while awaiting trial.
He was spotted out and about a fortnight ago with his third wife Sue after reporting for bail in Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
She has stuck with Dawson for more than three decades after first meeting him in 1990 or early 1991 when she was a science teacher and he was a PE teacher.
They lived at Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, on Queensland’s Capricorn Coast.
His trial for the alleged murder of Lynette was given the go-ahead after the High Court of Australia dismissed a last-ditch effort by his lawyers to have the case permanently halted.
It followed two previous permanent stay applications which failed in the Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeal.
Mother-of-two Lynette Dawson disappeared from Sydney’s northern beaches in 1982. Her body has never been found
In 2020, Justice Elizabeth Fullerton ordered a temporary stay on the trial, until at least June 2021, stating media and public commentary around the case was ‘the most egregious example’ the court had considered.
Justice Fullerton also did rule Mr Dawson could still receive a fair trial.
The CCA dismissed Mr Dawson’s appeal against Justice Fullerton’s decision, saying permanent stays were reserved for the most extreme cases.
Lynette Dawson was 33-years-old when she disappeared in Bayview, leaving two young daughters behind.
Her body has never been recovered
Two coronial inquiries ruled Ms Dawson was murdered by someone she knew.
Dawson’s trial before Justice Ian Harrison is likely to take up to eight weeks.
Chris Dawson (left) has always denied having anything to do with the mysterious disappearance of his first wife Lynette (right)
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