Chris Dawson murder trial hears Coles ‘choking’ claims

Chris Dawson has been accused in court of threatening a teenage Coles worker who asked his 16-year-old babysitter out on a date.

Chris Dawson has been accused in court of shoving and threatening a Coles trolley boy who asked his teenage babysitter out on a date, telling the young man to “stay away”.

Mr Dawson’s murder trial has also heard evidence of his wife Lynette being left with a “huge black eye” before her disappearance.

The former teacher and Newtown Jets rugby league player is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court accused of murdering Lynette, who vanished from their Sydney northern beaches home in January 1982.

The 73-year-old has pleaded not guilty, arguing he had no reason to murder his wife and dump her body.

In a police interview played to the court, Mr Dawson told detectives that his wife had phoned him several times after she left their Bayview home, during which she told him she needed time alone.

Chris Dawson told police Lynette Dawson contacted him several times since she vanished from their Bayview home. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

A BLACK EYE

Earlier, one of Lynette Dawson’s former co-workers said she was “horrified” after seeing her with a black eye during a chance encounter before her disappearance, a court has been told.

Judith Solomon got to know Ms Dawson when they both worked at a Bank of NSW branch in Sydney’s eastern suburbs before they ran into each several years later at Warringah Mall.

Ms Solomon gave evidence that she did not immediately recognise her former workmate until she removed her sunglasses.

“I could see a huge horrible black eye,” Ms Solomon told the court on Monday.

According to Ms Solomon, Ms Dawson explained her bruise by saying: “She ran into a doorway.”

Chris Dawson has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Damian Shaw.

Judith Solomon told the court that she saw Lynette Dawson with a bruised eye. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Ms Solomon told the court that during the encounter she was introduced to Mr Dawson, who was with her.

“I was scared at that time, I felt uneasy,” Ms Solomon said.

“I looked around and saw him pull her arm and say ‘what did you do that for?’”

Ms Solomon denied accusations made by Mr Dawson’s barrister Pauline David that her recollection had been influenced by the Teacher’s Pet podcast, which investigated the circumstances of Ms Dawson’s disappearance.

Ms Solomon said she was “horrified” and would “never forget” the “sinister encounter” at Warringah Mall.

“It was deep in my mind because I was horrified,” Ms Solomon said.

Chris and Lynette Dawson prior to her disappearance. Picture: Troy Bendeich

The Crown prosecution has alleged Mr Dawson was motivated to kill his wife so he could have “unfettered access” to a teenage girl, who can only be known as JC, who was his student and babysitter.

The court was told that JC would have sex with Mr Dawson while she resided at his Bayview home as a live-in babysitter for him and Ms Dawson.

She eventually moved in following Ms Dawson’s disappearance before they later married, the court has heard.

They divorced in 1990 in acrimonious circumstances.

Chris Dawson and JC on their wedding day. Picture: Supplied

THE SUPERMARKET CAR PARK

Another witness told the court that he was threatened by Mr Dawson while working at a Coles supermarket as a teenager after asking out JC.

The witness, known as PS, said he was 16 when he asked JC out on several occasions; however, she knocked back his advances.

PS said he was collecting trolleys in the Dee Why Coles supermarket carpark when he was approached by Mr Dawson.

He said he heard a voice say “hey you” before being confronted by Mr Dawson.

“He shoved me against the concrete ramp … he backed me into that concrete structure and held me against the structure,” PS said.

The witness said Mr Dawson shoved him against a concrete ramp before grabbing him.

“My memory is Mr Dawson said words to the effect of ‘I just want you to stay away from her’, ‘don’t go near her or else’. Words to that effect.”

PS said he replied “I don’t know what you’re talking about” and he was “very scared” however was told Mr Dawson was making reference to JC.

He denied suggestions made by Mr Dawson’s solicitor Greg Walsh that Mr Dawson neither approached him nor touched him.

Chris and Lynette Dawson before her disappearance. Picture: Supplied.

DISAPPEARANCE NOT ‘ALL THAT UNUSUAL’

Mr Dawson’s brother Peter was called to give evidence by the crown prosecution on Monday.

Peter Dawson, a solicitor, told the court that he when he learned of Lynette’s disappearance, it didn’t strike him as “all that unusual”.

“My first wife’s mother had in fact done what is described here,” Peter said.

“She left her children, her family and never contacted them again … Chris’ wife was aware that my first wife’s mother had left and done just that. No contact with her family and for that reason I didn’t think it was unusual.”

Peter Dawson said that in the last couple of years his ex-wife, who he separated from in 1978, had told him that she had located her mother.

He also described his brother as a “romantic” and loving towards his former wife; adding he had never seen him be violent or forceful towards Lynette.

THE POLICE INTERVIEW

During a police interview recorded at Beenleigh station in 1991 and played to the court on Monday, Mr Dawson said he dropped his wife off at Mona Vale bus stop on January 9 so she could go shopping.

However, she failed to arrive at the Northbridge Baths as planned.

Mr Dawson said they had been experiencing difficulties in their marriage but had attended counselling several days prior to Ms Dawson disappearing and left feeling “our problems were going to be resolved”.

But, he told the officers, Ms Dawson had an “emotional breakdown” on January 8, 1982.

“The day prior to Lyn leaving there was an incident at home where she had thrown our little, our second daughter … onto the bed and sort of had a bit of an emotional breakdown at the time,” Mr Dawson said at the time.

He also denied an allegation made by JC that he had contemplated hiring a hitman to kill Ms Dawson before ultimately changing his mind.

Mr Dawson told detectives the allegation was “a complete and utter fabrication”.

“If we did (drive to somewhere) it would have been for one of our rendezvous parking sessions,” Mr Dawson said.

The trial continues.

Originally published as Chris Dawson murder trial hears Coles ‘choking’ claims