12 reasons that proved Chris Dawson murdered wife

Former rugby league player Chris Dawson has lost a bid to have his murder conviction overturned after the state’s highest court threw out his appeal.

Ex-rugby league star Chris Dawson has lost a bid to overturn his conviction for murdering his wife, with the state’s highest court finding he told “lies and half-truths” and there was “no possibility” Lynette Simms voluntarily abandoned her home.

Now the ex-teacher, who was found to have killed his wife to be with a teenage student and babysitter, is facing the prospect of dying in jail.

Dawson, 75, was not present on an AVL link as the Court of Appeal on Thursday threw out his appeal following a three-day hearing in May.

Dawson was in August 2022 jailed for the murder of Ms Simms, who vanished without a trace from their Bayview home on Sydney’s northern beaches in January 1982.

In the days after she vanished, Dawson moved his teenage lover – a former student and the family’s babysitter – into his Gilwinga Drive address.

“The Crown’s evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that the applicant killed the deceased either late on 8 January 1982 or early on 9 January 1982 to make way for JC to move straight into the Bayview house as his life partner as soon as the applicant retrieved her from South West Rocks, as the evidence established occurred,” Justice Christine Adamson, one of three judges to hear the appeal, wrote in her judgment.

Chris Dawson has lost a bid to have his conviction quashed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw.

The court found that there had been no credible sightings of Ms Simms since her disappearance, dismissing Dawson’s story she had voluntarily left the family home.

“The applicant’s lies and half-truths showed he was entirely without credibility,” Justice Adamson said.

Nearly two years ago, Supreme Court Justice Ian Harrison found Dawson killed his wife to have “unfettered access” to the young woman, JC.

In a judgment handed down on Thursday afternoon, Justices Julie Ward, Anthony Payne and Adamson dismissed Dawson’s high-stakes appeal.

After being sentenced to 24 years in prison, with an 18-year non-parole period, Dawson was previously told that he would likely die in jail.

Dawson’s only avenue to be freed before he dies is to take his case to the High Court.

Dawson and Lynette Simms before her disappearance.

Ms Simms was last seen on Friday, January 8, 1982 when she spoke to her mother on the phone.

According to Dawson’s version of events, given to police at Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, in January 1991, Dawson claimed that he dropped off his wife at a Mona Vale bus stop early on the morning of Saturday January 9.

Dawson told detectives that she failed to meet him at the Northbridge Baths, where he worked as a part-time lifeguard.

He had claimed he received a long-distance phone call from Ms Simms during his shift, saying she needed time away, and had several further phone calls with her in the ensuing days before she ultimately told him she would not be returning to their home.

Crown prosecutors during his 2022 trial, as well as his appeal earlier this year, relied on Ms Simms never having any contact with any person after January 8, 1982, including her family, friends, colleagues and children.

She was described as a devoted mother and the court was told that she underwent numerous procedures to have children.

Prosecutors said she would not have cut off communication with her parents and her siblings, even if she had left Dawson.

Dawson has been in custody since he was found guilty of murder. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

QUEENSLAND

The court was told that in the months leading up to Ms Simms’ disappearance, Dawson had made attempts to leave his wife, including just before Christmas 1981, when he attempted to move to Queensland with JC and start a new life.

During the trial, the court was told that Ms Simms found out about Dawson leaving when she arrived home to find a note on the bed.

The court was told the note read: “Don’t paint too dark a picture of me to the girls.”

The court was told that JC and Dawson did not make it to Queensland after she became ill and asked that he turn the car around.

JC went to South West Rocks to holiday in a caravan park with family and friends before Dawson travelled north to collect her in January 1982.

The court was told that after moving JC into his family home, where she slept in the matrimonial bed, Dawson allowed her to go through Ms Simms’ clothing and jewellery.

Dawson has been told he can expect to die in jail. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

A portrait of Lynette Simms’ children by artist Kristin Hardiman. Picture: Supplied.

THE PORTRAIT

Dawson had sought to appeal his conviction, in part arguing he was subject to a “forensic disadvantage” due to the four decades between Ms Simms going missing and his trial in mid 2022.

He claimed he was unable to call several witnesses and pieces of evidence due to the passage of time, including Lynette’s bank cards.

However, the court said that it was Dawson’s own failure to hold onto those bank records which caused him to be disadvantaged.

Dawson’s barrister, public defender Belinda Rigg SC argued that it could not be proven that Ms Simms was not alive after January 9, 1982 or that she had not called him at the Northbridge Baths.

However, Justice Adamson said: “No credence could be given to the applicant’s uncorroborated claim that the deceased called him at the Northbridge Baths on 9 January 1982.”

The court heard that in November 1981, artist Kristin Hardiman was commissioned by Lynette to draw a portrait of her two daughters.

Ms Hardiman said that she came to the Dawson home on Gilwinga Drive where she photographed the children.

However, Ms Hardiman told the court that when she phoned the Dawson home in mid-January 1982, she was told by Chris that Lynette had “gone away” and didn’t “want them ­anymore”.

Justice Adamson said that Dawson’s statement reflected his certainty that Lynette was dead.

“He could only say this with such certainty because he had killed her,” Justice Adamson said.

“It also indicated that he did not want to engage in any discussion about the deceased.”

Chris Dawson and Lynette Simms on their wedding day. Picture: Supplied.

12 REASONS

Justice Payne concluded that there was “no reasonable hypothesis” consistent with Dawson being innocent, pointing to 12 reasons why he was guilty.

Firstly, he said there was “no possibility” that Ms Simms would have voluntarily left her children without speaking to her mother.

“Lynette Dawson would not have ceased her relationship or communication with her parents and siblings voluntarily. She would not have left her children, even for a few days, without telling her mother,” Justice Payne said.

He also pointed out that Ms Simms’ engagement ring, contact lenses and clothes remained at her home after she vanished.

He found that Dawson “showed a degree of desperation and obsession” in his relationship with JC, adding that he was “controlling” of the teenager.

Dawson in January 1982 was planning a “public, permanent” relationship with JC, which included marriage proposals, Justice Payne said.

Justice Payne also pointed to evidence about events on January 8 and 9, 1982, including Dawson’s marriage counselling session with Ms Simms.

A phone call in which Dawson told JC: “Lyn’s gone. She’s not coming back,” was further proof of his guilty, Justice Payne said.

He also pointed to Dawson driving through the night to collect JC from a holiday at South West Rocks before installing her in his family home.

“(Dawson) told JC that she could take what she wanted from Lynette Dawson’s jewellery and clothes,” he said in his judgment.

He also said Dawson telling an artist – who had been commissioned by Ms Simms to draw their children – that she was no longer interested in the portrait was proof she was no longer alive.

Justice Payne said Ms Dawson never contacted any of her friends and family after her phone conversation with her mother on the evening of January 8, 1982.

In his 10th point, Justice Payne said Ms Simms did not turn up for work at the Warriewood Children’s Centre, here she had “many friends”, on Monday, January 11.

He lastly pointed to Dawson’s attempts to leave his wife, including planning to lease a flat in North Manly, plans to sell their Gilwinga Drive home and their failed attempt to run off to Queensland.

JC, on the day she and Chris Dawson left to start a new life in Queensland. Picture: Supplied.

POSSIBLE RELEASE

Judge Harrison, who found Dawson guilty, concluded that he was “obsessed” with JC and the prospect of losing her.

And the Court of Appeal found there was no evidence to back up Dawson’s assertion that Ms Simms was alive after she went missing.

“The trial judge was neither illogical nor clearly mistaken in his reasons for rejecting evidence of the Northbridge Baths phone call and other evidence showing the deceased was alive after 8 January, 1982,” the court said in its judgment.

Last year, Dawson was also convicted of one count of carnal knowledge after a judge found he engaged in sexual activities with one of his students at a Sydney high school in 1980.

He was sentenced by District Court Judge Sarah Huggett to three years in jail and had one year added onto his non-parole period.

His non-parole period is due to expire in August 2041, by which time he will be 93 years old.

Originally published as 12 reasons that proved Chris Dawson murdered wife