Chris Dawson murder trial: Chilling moments in close-up as Lyn takes centre stage

On Thursday morning, the NSW Supreme Court room 9D literally drew in its collective breath, and momentarily held it.

An ABC program that aired in 1975 featuring Lyn Dawson and her family was shown in court on Thursday. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

After just over 38 sitting days of the Chris Dawson murder trial that has already had its fair share of drama and emotion, at 11.21am on Thursday NSW Supreme Court room 9D literally drew in its collective breath, and momentarily held it.

For two months now, the minutiae of the life of a relatively inconspicuous family going about its business in the 1970s and early 80s on Sydney’s northern beaches – the Dawsons of Gilwinga Drive, Bayview Heights – has been tipped out on to the sorting table that is a murder trial and been picked over and examined by the world 40 years later.

At the heart of that scrutiny has been Lynette Joy Dawson, missing since January 8, 1982.

In evidence, we have learned of her love of clothes and jewellery, we’ve been inside the house she called home, we’ve seen samples of her handwriting, perused her employment records, met her friends and work colleagues, seen photographs of her wedding day, become acquainted with her family and childhood friends, been given an intimate view of her deteriorating marriage and been privy to the ephemera that accompanies a suburban life.

But just before lunch yesterday, in an utterly chilling moment, we got to meet Lyn herself.

The defence team decided to play to the court an episode of the ABC’s documentary series Chequerboard about the nature of twins, featuring Chris and Paul Dawson. The episode, titled “Heckle and Jeckle, Bib and Bub”, went to air in late 1975 and was hosted by Robin Hughes, who would go on to head Film Australia.

In it, the Dawson boys, in their prime at 27, are extensively interviewed. So too are Paul’s wife, Marilyn, and Chris’s wife, Lynette.

To suddenly see her up on the court’s four television monitors, manifested, tangible, incarnate after what has been a seemingly unending blizzard of words and documents and photographs was astonishing. To witness her in close-up. Bright eyes. Clear young skin. Sandy short hair. To hear her high, gentle voice. To take in her laugh.

And in other scenes to observe her washing dishes at a kitchen sink, serving food at a birthday lunch in a dining room in an unremarkable and unidentified house.

This was her. Lynette Joy Dawson (nee Simms). This was how she carried herself, how she walked and spoke and interacted with other people.

It was only when the episode was over, and the screens were switched off, that you noticed the long tables just behind those used by the crown prosecutor and his team near the middle of the court.

For eight weeks an A4 sheet of paper with SIMMS FAMILY printed on it has rested on that table.

For eight weeks, that space has been occupied by Greg Simms, Lyn’s brother, and his wife and Lyn’s sister-in-law, Merilyn, as well as their children.

On Thursday, during the playing of “Heckle and Jeckle, Bib and Bub”, the seats at that table were empty.

And hanging over the back of one of those chairs was Greg’s jacket.