Dawson, 74, a former trainer and rugby participant, has lengthy maintained his innocence and pleaded not responsible to his spouse’s homicide. He was arrested in 2018 — the identical yr tens of millions listened to the podcast “The Trainer’s Pet,” which examined the couple’s relationship and the ultimate weeks of 33-year-old Lynette’s life.

The podcast, which sparked headlines all over the world, obtained a journalism award for uncovering “long-lost statements and new witnesses” within the case and prompting Australian police to resume the seek for Lynette’s physique. Nevertheless, Harrison famous in his Tuesday judgment, it was possible that the sequence affected a number of the proof within the case.

Lynette vanished from her house on Sydney’s northern seashores in January 1982, forsaking her daughters ages 2 and 4. She didn’t seem to have taken any of her belongings together with her. Dawson stated his spouse had chosen to desert their household.

After prolonged examination of the proof, Harrison stated he was “glad past cheap doubt that Lynette Dawson died on or about eight January, 1982, on account of a acutely aware and voluntary act dedicated by Mr. Dawson with the intention of inflicting her loss of life.”

Whereas the proof introduced was “wholly circumstantial,” the proof “thought-about as an entire is persuasive and compelling,” he stated. “When regard is needed to their mixed pressure, I’m left in little doubt.”

Harrison concluded Lynette “didn’t depart her house voluntarily” and stated a number of “lies” advised by Chris Dawson, together with that Lynette had referred to as him a number of occasions following her disappearance, saying that she wanted time away from her household, demonstrated “a responsible conscience.”

“The rivalry that Lynette Dawson, a girl supposedly determined to go away a relationship, can be inclined to offer telephonic updates regarding the standing of her determination to go away, is solely absurd,” Harrison stated Tuesday, including that Chris Dawson’s account of their conversations, wherein she merely stated “she wanted extra time away” however didn’t for instance ask about their youngsters, weren’t convincing.

Associates and kin of Lynette had stated within the podcast’s first episode that the devoted mom would by no means have deserted her youngsters, with whom she shared a particular bond.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors stated Dawson had been in a relationship with a 16-year-old pupil of his who was additionally the household’s babysitter, recognized solely as “JC” within the trial, on the time of Lynette’s disappearance. JC moved into the household house shortly after Lynette disappeared. Prosecutors alleged Dawson had killed his spouse so he would be capable to proceed his relationship with JC.

It took Dawson six weeks to report Lynette lacking, and her physique has by no means been discovered.

“We hope that sooner or later that we are going to discover our sister and put her to relaxation,” Lynette’s brother Greg Simms stated Tuesday as he spoke outdoors the courtroom. He referred to as on Dawson to disclose the situation of her stays so she might lastly be put to relaxation.

The podcast “The Trainer’s Pet” was made unavailable in Australia in 2019, after Dawson was charged, to make sure he had a good listening to. The trial additionally befell and not using a jury — on the request of Dawson — which he was granted as a result of high-profile and broadly publicized nature of the case.

Whereas true crime podcasts and documentaries have turn into massively standard in recent times, with some renewing curiosity in unsolved homicide circumstances or doubtlessly uncovering new proof, the Dawson trial has raised questions concerning the affect such publicity can have on a trial.

Harrison stated Tuesday that “The Trainer’s Pet” might have corrupted a number of the proof within the case, “depriving some proof of its usefulness.”

He additionally famous that critics had argued the podcast introduced a “lower than balanced view” of the case.

In remarks outdoors the courtroom following Tuesday’s verdict, the journalist behind the podcast, Hedley Thomas, stated his position within the podcast made him really feel as if he had “obtained to know” Lynette. “Her story struck me as so unfair, so unjust, I did turn into obsessive about it,” he advised reporters.

Whereas Thomas welcomed the decision and hailed prosecutors within the case, he famous that Dawson had been capable of get pleasure from 40 years of his life with out going through “accountability” for his actions as a consequence of flaws within the system and earlier dealing with of the case. He stated Lynette was merely “handled as a runaway mom, when the circumstances had been so gravely suspicious,” including that it was “disgraceful.”

Greg Walsh, Dawson’s lawyer, advised reporters Tuesday that his shopper was “in shock” and “upset” and would “definitely” be interesting the responsible verdict.

“Mr. Dawson has at all times asserted, and he nonetheless does, his absolute innocence of the crime of which he’s been convicted. And he’ll proceed to say that innocence. And he’ll definitely enchantment.”

Dawson shall be sentenced at a later date.