The Teacher's Trial

Three books on this remarkable story are published: Hedley Thomas’ book The Teacher’s Pet, Shanelle Dawson’s memoir My Mother’s Eyes, and lawyer Rebecca Hazel’s The Schoolgirl, Her Teacher, and His Wife. 

To read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the trial, search The Teacher's Accuser or visit theteachersaccuser.com.au. 

For daily updates, subscribe to The Front in your podcast app.

The National Sexual Assault Domestic Famil...

Hedley and the team are back to dissect Judge Sarah Huggett’s three-year sentence for Chris Dawson’s unlawful carnal knowledge of a schoolgirl. 

But in another court, a new drama plays out as education authorities try to dodge accountability for his crimes. We hear the first-hand accounts of students who encountered Dawson in his heyday, and examine the prison reality of a man whose narcissism has brought him all the way back to w...

Grey, shrunken and hiding his face, Chris Dawson is sentenced for unlawful carnal knowledge of a schoolgirl. Hedley Thomas joins us.

Find out more about The Front podcast here and read about this story and more on The Australian's website or search for The Australian in your app store.

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet, and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Original music is composed by Jas...

Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey and David Murray reveal how our smash-hit podcasts get made.

Find out more about The Front podcast here and read about this story and more on The Australian's website or search for The Australian in your app store.

This episode of The Front is presented and produced by Kristen Amiet, and edited by Lia Tsamoglou. Our regular host is Claire Harvey and original music is composed by Jasper Leak.

See omnyst...

"The accused committed an act of carnal knowledge while she was 16 years of age in his and his pupil.”

That was the judgement of Judge Sarah Huggett, who found Christopher Michael Dawson guilty of carnal knowledge on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. She said the complainant’s evidence had a “ring of truth” that could only lead her to this stunning conclusion.

In this episode Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon...

The carnal knowledge trial of Christopher Michael Dawson has officially come to a close. Just as he did in his murder trial, Dawson exercised his right to silence: he did not give evidence in his own defence.

In this episode, Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon discuss the closing submissions of Crown Prosecutor Emma Blizard and defence barrister Claire Wasley.

Plus, we dissect the evidence of the final...

“I want it to end”: the emotional plea from Chris Dawson’s accuser, AB, during a sometimes fiery courtroom battle with public defender Claire Wasley. At one point, AB dismissed Wasley’s suggestions as “garbage”

In this episode, Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon analyse AB’s testimony under pressure, and we get to know what Paul Dawson was allegedly up to all those years ago. 

To read The Australian's ...

Forty-three years after she alleges Christopher Michael Dawson abused her for the first time, the complainant in the convicted murderer’s latest trial has told her story in court. 

Identified only as AB for legal reasons, she says she was 16 years old and a student of Dawson's when the alleged sexual activity first took place – a claim Dawson has denied.

Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon discuss AB’s ...

Handcuffed and in prison greens, Christopher Michael Dawson faces a new charge – this time, unlawful carnal knowledge of a 16-year-old schoolgirl. The charge dates back to 1980, when he was her sports teacher at a Northern Beaches high school. 

Dawson denies the charge, and will argue instead they didn't have sex until after her 17th birthday. 

We trace this story back to the start, unpack the history of this antiquated-sounding ...

Christopher Michael Dawson will likely die in prison. That was the stark declaration of Justice Ian Harrison SC in the NSW Supreme Court, sentencing Dawson to 24 years imprisonment with no chance of parole until 2040.

We hear every word of Justice Ian Harrison’s sentencing remarks, plus reactions from Lyn and Chris’ family, and from the police and lawyers. And we revisit some of the voices you heard right at the beginning of this ...

Lyn's oldest daughter, Shanelle Dawson, walked into a Sydney courtroom and spoke from the heart about the killing of her mother, the selfishness of her father, and the ongoing damage to her life as a result of the murder. Shanelle's extraordinary victim impact statement, delivered by her through tears, sorrow and anger, brought witnesses and even court staff to tears.

Lyn's siblings, Greg Simms and Pat Jenkins, shared their pain t...

Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon return to cover hearings in a major public inquiry into Queensland's state-run DNA lab. 

A new episode will be published at the end of every week, for the duration of the inquiry.

Search for Shandee's Story in your podcast app, and press follow or subscribe to be notified when new episodes are released. You can read The Australian's ongoing coverage of the inquiry at ...

In our third and final episode diving into Justice Ian Harrison's meticulously detailed judgment, we look at the evidence of Lyn being bruised and her accounts of being subjected to acts of violence at the hands of her husband Chris.

Hedley, Claire, Matthew, and David also discuss the judge’s findings about the evidence given by members of the Simms and Dawson camps, as well as “the paper boy" and "the trolley boy".

As this will ...

“A brilliant piece of writing.” That’s the verdict of acclaimed author Matthew Condon on Justice Ian Harrison’s 238-page judgment. Our in-depth analysis of the decision begins with the lie that brought Chris Dawson's defence undone: a call – supposedly made by his wife, Lyn – to  the Northbridge Baths on January 9, 1982.

Hedley, Claire, David, and Matthew also take a closer look at the evidence of JC, tur...

Forty years after Lyn Dawson disappeared from Sydney's Northern Beaches, Christopher Michael Dawson has been convicted of her murder. In this episode, we'll take you to the moments leading up to and following that pivotal moment. 

Hedley Thomas, Claire Harvey, David Murray, and Matthew Condon share their experience of being in the courtroom when Justice Ian Harrison handed down his explosive verdict. Plus, we'll hear what this...