Sydney, Australia — A former Australian highschool trainer convicted of murdering his spouse after successful podcast unearthed new proof was on Friday sentenced to 24 years in jail. Chris Dawson, 74, was discovered responsible of killing Lynette Dawson some 40 years in the past whereas pursuing an affair along with his teenage babysitter and former scholar.
Her physique was by no means discovered and there have been few leads within the case till 2018 when "The Instructor's Pet" podcast sparked renewed public curiosity and in the end a recent police investigation.
The homicide had been pushed by Dawson's "possessive infatuation" along with his former scholar, which led him to kill his spouse, Choose Ian Harrison stated Friday whereas asserting the 24-year jail sentence.
There's a non-parole interval of 18 years.
"Mr Dawson will not be previous by modern requirements, however he won't dwell to succeed in the tip of his non-parole interval," Harrison stated.
Dawson strenuously maintained his innocence all through the trial.
"The Instructor's Pet" was hosted by journalist Hedley Thomas, and some months after its first episodes have been launched, Dawson was arrested in December 2018.
It drew comparisons to the genre-defining "Serial" podcast in the USA, which performed a pivotal position in overturning a person's conviction for murdering his girlfriend.
Greg Simms — Lynette Dawson's brother — on Friday thanked Thomas.
"My hope is that the media and police will work collaboratively in future instances," Simms stated outdoors the courtroom following the sentencing. "It is our time to start residing our lives with out having this hanging over our heads."