Inmates are out to kill me, says Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has asked to be kept isolated from other inmates, as his eldest daughter gave an insight into her years of suffering for the first time.

A court sketch of convicted murderer Chris Dawson in prison greens during a pre-sentencing hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday.

Chris Dawson says people are constantly threatening to kill him in prison and he has asked to be kept isolated from other inmates, as his eldest daughter gave an insight into her years of suffering for the first time since her father was found guilty of killing her mother Lyn.

The former teacher and convicted killer was led back into a Sydney court on Thursday morning in handcuffs and a prison-issued green tracksuit and green shoes for a brief hearing to discuss his future sentencing.

It was the same courtroom, 13A, where the 74-year-old was this week convicted of the murder of his wife 40 years ago.

He was appearing before the same judge who found him guilty, Ian Harrison SC.

“In the brief instructions I’ve been able to obtain … it’s apparent he is being subjected to constant threats,” his lawyer Greg Walsh told the court.

Mr Walsh said that contrary to previous suggestions, Dawson would not be applying for bail pending a planned appeal.

He said Dawson had asked for “non-association” with other prisoners and had been granted that status, adding: “There are a large number of people threatening his life.”

In other developments, NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman said he would examine “no body, no parole” laws in other states, after calls from Lyn’s family for legal reforms to stop convicted killers being released in NSW without revealing the location of their victims’ remains.

And Dawson’s eldest daughter Shanelle, who was just four years old when her mother went missing, shared an excerpt from a poem on Facebook about enduring through suffering.

“It’s still possible in the end to realise why you are here and why you have endured, and why you might have suffered so much,” the quote from the book Still Possible by David Whyte read.

“So that in the end, you could witness love, miraculously ­arriving from nowhere, crossing bravely as it does, out of ­darkness.”

In response, she was inundated with online messages of support from friends.

In 2018, speaking publicly about her mother for the first time, Shanelle told The Australian that when she was growing up her mum was rarely spoken about. “I think more recently Dad started talking about my mum a little bit and I would start asking more questions since I got older and realised, ‘Hang on, no, I’m not going to keep quiet’,” she said at the time.

“I had hoped and believed that she was alive for a long time. But I’ve come into more of an acceptance that she’s not alive.”

Justice Harrison came to the same conclusion, finding Lyn was murdered by her husband because he feared losing a teenage girl with whom he was obsessed.

Dawson was transported to court from Silverwater jail for the 20-minute hearing. Mr Walsh asked the judge to direct prison authorities to give the convicted killer every protection.

Justice Harrison said he had no power to direct them, but recommended “appropriate steps” be taken “to protect Mr Dawson from people who think they know better than the law”.

The judge added: “If that requires non association … I would be the first person to recommend that they take immediate steps to put that in place.”

The judge said it may be appropriate for Mr Walsh to contact corrective services with his blessing ahead of Dawson’s return to Silverwater.

Mr Walsh also asked the judge to recommend Dawson to be provided with mental health services.

Pre-trial hearings were told that Dawson was suicidal, and since his conviction he has been found by prison authorities to be a suicide risk. The Australian had previously revealed that he had been placed in a single cell for his own protection. “This is a very sensitive time,” Mr Walsh said.

Justice Harrison said Dawson was entitled to “all appropriate medical assistance”. He endorsed Dawson being given all care “as soon as possible”.

Dawson was taken back to Silverwater jail after the hearing and is expected to be there until sentencing submissions are heard on Friday November 11.

Lyn’s brother Greg Simms told The Australian no prisoner should be released without revealing the location of their ­victim’s remains. Queensland and other states have “no body, no parole” laws ­requiring prisoners to co-operate with police to find their victim’s remains before they can be released on parole. However, in NSW it is still optional.

Mr Speakman responded by ordering a review of laws outside NSW. “The Attorney-General has asked the Department of Communities and Justice for advice on this matter, including how such legislation operates in other jurisdictions and the effectiveness, or otherwise, of this legislation in those jurisdictions,” a spokeswoman said.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said he would consider “no body no parole” laws, which have also been called for by the creator of The Teacher’s Pet podcast, The Australian’s national chief correspondent Hedley Thomas.

“Currently, it is a consideration that is made in relation to parole but it’s not mandatory, as in other states,” Mr Perrottet told Sky News. “I have spoken to the Attorney-General to get advice and a briefing on that.”

Mark Leveson was able to recover his son Matthew’s remains in 2017 after agreeing to a deal with accused killer Michael Atkins. Mr Leveson on Thursday joined Lyn’s family in calling for a tougher approach to killers who refused to reveal the location of remains. “You’ve got to push the offender,” Mr Leveson said. “This is a power trip, not wanting to pass on this information to families.

“Often they’re happy to die and not let people know.”