Tuesday 17 May 2022 11:58 AM Chris Dawson trial: The haunting diary entries from Lynn Dawson's mother before ... trends now
The mother of alleged murder victim Lynette Dawson kept a detailed diary documenting the alleged mistreatment of her daughter at the hands of her husband Chris Dawson before she disappeared, a court has heard.
Dawson, 73, is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court accused of murdering Lynette, who disappeared in January 1982, aged 33.
The Crown claims Dawson killed his wife and disposed of her body because of his affair with one of his students, known as JC.
Dawson's legal team has argued at the trial that he might have failed his wife as a husband, but he did not kill her.
On Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Craig Everson read dairy enteries, penned by Helena Simms, to the court detailing conversations with her daughter in the months leading up to her disappearance.
Helena Simms, (pictured left) the mother of alleged murder victim Lynette Dawson, kept a diary documenting the mistreatment of her daughter at the hands of her husband Chris Dawson
In one diary extract from January 6 in 1981, Ms Simms recounted a Christmas party at her house attended by Mr and Ms Dawson.
The court heard that the entry read: 'Chris said again 'I only want to look after my two little girls!' I said 'what about Lynn?' He said: 'she's in the kitchen where she belongs.'
Another diary entry read to the court Ms Simms note that 'Lyn wants Chris to see a doctor to see what is making him so angry.'
A third entry read to the court - a year after Ms Dawson, 33, vanished from Sydney's northern beaches in January of 1982 - said Mr Dawson came to her house to drop off Lynette's belongings in 10 black garbage bags.
The former Newtown Jets rugby league player and high school teacher was reportedly 'sick' of having the bags in his study and had packed items such as Ms Dawson's gardening gloves, nursing uniform and badge and a garter that she wore on their wedding day, the court heard that an entry read.
Alleged murder victim Lynette Dawson was greatly distressed according to her sister Patricia Jenkins (pictured) before she vanished in January of 1982 from Sydney's northern beaches
Also on Tuesday, the court heard Ms Dawson was greatly distressed before she vanished after becoming 'cowered' by her husband.
Ms Dawson's sister Patricia Jenkins testified at the trial on Tuesday
