What Lyn Dawson's family really think of her murderer

Lyn Dawson's emotional family members have begged Chris Dawson to tell them where he hid the body.

Court Sketch of Chris Dawson in court today with family members describing their loss when he killed his wife Lynette. Picture: Vincent de Gouw

Ten weeks after he was found guilty of murdering his wife, Chris Dawson will face court again to learn how much time he will spend behind bars. 

Convicted wife-killer Chris Dawson will face sentencing in three weeks time, following an emotional day of submissions from his dead wife’s family in the NSW Supreme Court.

The former Newtown Jets player fought for a minimum jail time of just 10 weeks on Thursday, after he was in August convicted of killing his wife Lynette 40 years ago. The prosecution argued he serve the rest of his life in prison.

Here were the key submissions from Thursday's hearing.

Shanelle Dawson, Dawson and Lyn's daughter

Lyn and Dawson’s daughter Shanelle begged her father to “tell us where” he buried her mother’s body. 

“Please tell us where she is," she said.

“I hope you will finally admit the truth to yourself and give us the last bit of closure we need to make at least partial peace with this horrible tragedy.”

Shanelle took the stand wearing a long green skirt and matching top. While she spoke, Dawson turned his chair towards the front of the courtroom, facing away from Lyn’s family and his own daughter.

“The night you removed our mother from our lives was the night you destroyed my sense of safety and belonging in this world for many decades to come. Almost all of the love, nurturing and kindness vanished from my life,” Shanelle said.

“Because of your selfish actions, we will never see her again … feel her hold us or hear her laugh.

“There are not enough words in the English language to describe the impact of 41 years of deceit, trauma, being silenced and gaslighted.”

Shanelle said she felt “massive grief at that on every level'.

“No mother to cuddle me when I'm hurt or sad. No mother to help or advise me," she said.

“No mother to be a role model for my own mothering. No weekly home-cooked meals to return to.

“You took that away and so much more and you have no right to. You are not God.”

Shanelle said her young daughter Kialah found out about the family’s shocking past when a friend told her the truth.

“I had to explain to my beautiful innocent daughter why her grandfather killed her grandmother," she said.

“She kept asking why did he do that, the same question that’s tortured me for many years.

“Why didn’t you just divorce her, let those who loved and needed her keep her?

“Because of money? For God’s sake.

“The way you made her invisible, rarely spoke of her … and when you did it was with disdain and disrespect.”

DIVE DEEPER: A complete timeline of the Chris Dawson trial

Craig Everson, Crown prosecutor

Crown prosecutor Craig Everson, SC, told Justice Ian Harrison Dawson had shown “no remorse”, offering five reasons why he should be sentenced to life in prison. 

First was the offender's state of mind: "Your Honour found the deliberate and conscious act by the offender was done with an intent to kill. The Crown contends that enhances the seriousness of the offence."

Second was Dawson's "preparation and planning … The offender resolved to kill his wife on or shortly after the 2nd January 1982. He used the days before the 8th January 1982 to formulate and carry out his plan and that plan particularly included securing the attendance of (friend) Philip Day at the Northbridge Baths on the 9th January in order to effect alternative care arrangements for his children on the night of 9th January 1982 so he could dispose of Lynette’s body."

Everson said the third aggravating factor was that Lynette Dawson was killed in a domestic violence context – possibly in her own home.

"But even if the court doesn’t make that finding that the murder occurred inside the victim’s home, it’s still the case that this was a domestic violence context and the Crown contends that a just and appropriate sentence must accord due relevance to the dignity of the victim."

Fourth: "Lynette’s body was concealed. It’s never been found and … the Crown contends it is a circumstance that enhances the seriousness of the offence itself.

"Fifthly, finally and most importantly is the Crown’s contention that in this case there should be a finding by this court that substantial harm was caused to others."

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Greg Walsh, Dawson's lawyer

But Dawson’s lawyer, Greg Walsh, said the former teacher “has been the subject of probably the most constant and egregious publicity that one has seen”, arguing for a shorter life sentence. 

“It has been constant for at least two decades,” Walsh said.

“And in recent times, as we know, it has portrayed this offender in the most egregious way, such as being emotionally and physically violent and (an) immoral man.”

Walsh went on: “Your Honour it’s very important in our criminal justice system – and I say this with the greatest of respect – that this man’s punishment not be approached based upon the tendentious approach of the media."

“It’s constantly referred to as The Teacher’s Pet case.”

Inmates were threatening to cut Dawson’s throat, with the intimidation “day after day” and “minute after minute”, Walsh said.

Prison life would be “very difficult for him”, Walsh said.

DIVE DEEPER: Everything that happened in the Chris Dawson trial

Greg Simms, Lyn's brother

The victim impact statement of Lyn’s brother Greg Simms was read out to the court, in which he said Dawson “committed the ultimate betrayal”. 

“You were accepted into our family unconditionally when you married Lyn," the statement said.

“We considered you an equal in all respects. We trusted you. You repaid us by committing the ultimate betrayal.

“We even joined your family watching you and your brother playing football in winter.

“You betrayed us. You betrayed our trust and belittled us.

Pat Jenkins, Lyn's sister

Lyn’s sister Pat Jenkins detailed the impact of Lyn’s loss on her family, especially their mother, Helena Simms, and Lyn’s two young daughters.

“I was upset for Lyn’s girls, how they would cope, their mother having been taken from them and suspected they were fed such untruth,” she said.

The girls were told their mother left because Lyn didn’t love them.

Jenkins holds onto the memory of her sister, Lyn, rushing out to greet her at Bayview on Sydney's northern beaches and embracing Pat’s young boys in “the biggest warm hug”.

“This is the loving person that Chris Dawson deprived us of. The mental anguish of Lyn’s loss has damaged all her loved ones irrevocably,” Jenkins said.

“The ripple effect of the selfless actions of this man, who must have what he wanted at all costs, with no concern for others than himself, was unbelievable.

“We were a very ordinary family, never in the limelight. And I grew up feeling that devastating tragedies didn’t touch an ordinary family like ours.

“Lyn’s disappearance and the journey has since taught me that no one is safe from tragedy.

“It can unexpectedly strike anywhere. And justice can also be a long time coming.”

Additional reporting: Claire Harvey, David Murray