Chris Dawson’s twin brother takes the stand in his murder trial

Chris Dawson’s twin brother has taken the stand in his murder trial, telling the Supreme Court about his marriage to wife Lynette.

Chris Dawson’s twin says Lynette Dawson was “looking forward” to her future with her husband and “very positive” about the state of her marriage days before she disappeared.

Paul Dawson on Wednesday took the stand in Chris Dawson’s Supreme Court murder trial during.

The former teacher has pleaded not guilty to killing his wife Lynnette and disposing of her body.

Appearing via videolink, Mr Dawson painted a positive picture of his brother’s marriage around Christmas 1981, days before Ms Dawson went missing from her home on Sydney’s northern beaches.

The court heard around that time Mr Dawson had packed up his car, along with a former student and babysitter - who can only be known as JC - and attempted to start a new life in Queensland.

The court has heard that JC, however, asked for the car to be turned around and they arrived back in Sydney on Christmas Day morning, 1981.

Chris Dawson (left) and twin brother Paul (right). Picture: Supplied.

Justice Ian Harrison - who is presiding over a judge-alone trial - has been told that instead of returning to his Bayview home on December 25, Chris and JC instead went to Paul Dawson’s home.

Paul Dawson and his wife Marilyn lived about 500m up the road from Chris and Lynette on Gilwinga Drive.

The court was also told on Wednesday that Lynette Dawson had spent Christmas Day, along with her two daughters, at the home of Sid and Joan Dawson – Chris’ parents.

Paul Dawson told the court that on Christmas Day he recalled speaking to Lynette and she was upbeat about her marriage.

“It was good,” Mr Dawson said when asked by crown prosecutor Craig Everson about the state of his brother’s marriage in late 1981.

“Chris was being very positive towards it. I spoke to Lyn on Christmas Day, she was very positive about it. They were both looking forward to the future.”

The prosecution has alleged Chris Dawson was motivated to kill Ms Dawson so he could be with JC, who moved into his home shortly after Ms Dawson was last seen around January 8, 1982.

Chris Dawson has denied murdering his wife in 1982. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short.

Lynette Dawson, before her disappearance, with Chris Dawson. Picture: Supplied

Earlier on Wednesday, Marilyn Dawson told the court that she saw Lynette at her in-laws’ home on Christmas Day 1981.

She said that she did not tell Lynette that Chris had returned to Sydney earlier that morning and was at her house with Chris’ teenage former student.

“I didn’t say anything about Chris and (JC) being at my home because they asked me not to,” Marilyn Dawson told the court.

She added that she presumed Chris asked for his presence at her home to be kept a secret from Lynette.

“I know I wasn’t happy but I’m not confrontational so I probably didn’t say anything,” Marilyn told the court.

“Because I felt torn between helping Chris and trying to help Lyn and Chris’ family. His parents probably didn’t know where he was.

“And I just felt upset that I was in that situation.”

Chris Dawson and JC on their wedding day in 1984.

A picture of Chris Dawson and Lyn Dawson from December 1981. There is a note attached to the photo saying ‘the last photo of my Lyn’. Picture: Supplied

Marilyn told the court that in the final three months of 1981 she knew Lynette’s marriage to Chris was faltering.

She said that by late 1981 she was aware that Mr Dawson had a “romantic interest” in JC, who was for a time residing at the Dawsons’ house as a live-in babysitter.

“I wanted her to stand up and be counted about her home and her children and her marriage,” Marilyn said.

“She was a strong girl, a strong personality, she was a nurse. She saw a lot of suffering and saving of lives.

“She was very worldly. She had a strong opinion about things.

“I don’t know why she didn’t have a strong personality to stand up to her marriage.

“When I spoke to her in the car I thought that she was devastated and perhaps a little flat and maybe mentally not coping.”

Chris Dawson and Lynette Dawson in 1966. Picture: Supplied.

One witness has previously told the court of seeing Lynette with a grapefruit-sized bruise on her thigh.

One of Lynette’s co-worker at Warriewood childcare centre said she saw Lynette with bruises on her neck and was told that Chris had grabbed her before a marriage counselling session.

Marilyn told the court that she had seen Lynette with bruises on her body however was never told of Chris being violent towards her.

Asked by Mr Dawson’s solicitor Greg Walsh if she believed Chris Dawson could have killed Lynette, Marilyn said: “No.”

“I think he’s an upstanding citizen who works hard, lives well, is very kind to his family and is respectful,” she said.

The trial before Justice Ian Harrison continues.