A driving lesson has emerged as the point of focus as convicted killer Chris Dawson battles allegations he carried on a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student, a court has heard.
The former Newtown Jets rugby league player and teacher sat silently in Sydney’s Downing Centre this week as a District Court trial heard details of allegations he engaged in sexual activity with the underage girl, known as AB, during the 1980 school year.
Dawson, 74, who has last year convicted of killing his wife Lynette, has denied the allegations and says that their relationship did not become sexual until the following year, when she was 17-years-old.
Dawson, through his defence barrister Claire Wasley, has sought to prove it wasn’t until the girl was in year 12 that they engaged in sexual activity for the first time.
However, the woman denied that she was mistaken or had fabricated her version of events, firing back at the defence: “I don’t make these things up”.
The trial is due to conclude in the coming week with Judge Sarah Huggett to hand down her verdict at a later date.
THE ALLEGATIONS
AB has said during her evidence that their first sexual activity occurred in August or September of 1980 at Dawson’s parents’ Maroubra home when she was 16.
At the time, his parents were away at their holiday house and Dawson let himself in using a spare key.
AB told the court on Tuesday that afterwards he asked if she was OK and said: “I hope this was helpful”, “it was a good start” and “you did really well”.
“I was told to keep it a secret,” AB said.
AB has told the court that she also engaged in sexual activities with Dawson in the back seat of his car, in his school office and in a pool, when his brother was up the other end with another girl.
THE “GROOMING”
AB told the court that she first had contact with Dawson in year 10, when a topless photo of her, which had been taken at a picnic, began circulating around the school and he handed it back to her.
Defence barrister Claire Wasley has questioned why the topless photo had not been mentioned by AB in any of her previous statements to police and the Department of Education.
She told the court that after seeing her in the playground, he organised so that she would be in his year 11 class.
AB said in her evidence that her relationship with Dawson began with him as somewhat of a “counsellor” after she confided in him her difficult home life, due to an alcoholic mother and stepfather.
She said she used to see him at a local pub on a Friday night, where students and teachers mingled.
“He used to sit there telling me about himself, how great he was,” AB said.
“It was part of the grooming process … to get me to trust him, which I did.”
THE DRIVING LESSON
AB gave evidence that Dawson made an “improper” advance to her during a driving lesson.
And on a later occasion, she engaged in sexual activity with him for the first time, she told the court.
The driving lesson has emerged as a key issue during the trial as it at the heart of her timeline of events and when she says the first sexual activity occurred.
The court has heard she was not eligible to receive her learner’s permit until November 1980.
According to the indictment, Dawson is accused of engaging in sexual activities with the teen between July 1 and December 12 of 1980.
In her evidence, she later said the “improper” act may have, in fact, been when they were spending time in the car.
She added that he often drove her to exercise classes and other places, and it may not have been a driving lesson.
“It happened in his car in 1980, when we spent time in the car,” AB said.
She added: “He had ample opportunity to do that.”
AB also told Ms Wasley that it was quite possible the driving lesson occurred before she had her learner’s permit.
“I suggest that’s something you made up in the witness box just now,” Ms Wasley said.
“No, I don’t make these things up. This happened to me. I’m so sick of this, having to justify everything I say,” AB said as she became tearful.
“I know it’s your job but this is my life … I want you to believe what I’m saying.”
“EXOTIC”
The Crown prosecution has alleged at the time of their first sexual activity that she was still 16 years old and a student in his year 11 sports coaching class.
AB has told the court that on a written exam, she included a reference to their sexual activities.
AB has previously said she couldn’t remember the exact words and by that time she had been engaged in sexual activity with Dawson for “quite a long time”.
She told the court that a friend told her she thought it would be “funny” if she wrote something “exotic” about their sexual activities.
But she says she was left confused when he tore off the part of the exam where she had made reference to their sexual activities and gave her a zero.
“I handed it to him hoping he would like that,” AB said.
“He tore off the portion of that exam and gave me a zero.
“I was a bit confused by that. As a 16-year-old, you don’t understand why this is going on. But he just gave me zero.”
Under cross-examination from Ms Wasley on Friday, AB denied suggestions that she didn’t include comments with a double meaning on her exam paper.
“I’d suggest to you that you didn’t write anything in your year 11 sports coaching exam that made reference to the accused (engaging in sexual activity) with you,” Ms Wasley asked.
“No,” AB said.
“GOD”
According to AB, Dawson would leave love notes and cards in her school bag.
One card, which she told the court was from Christmas 1980, said “once or twice every minute” and was signed off as “God”.
“He was trying to disguise who he was… He didn’t call himself a god,” AB said.
“But we must have agreed that this is what he would refer to himself as because I was 16 and he knew it.”
But Dawson’s defence has sought to raise questions about the timing of when the cards were left.
“I’d suggest to you in year 12 he began giving you romantic cards and notes,” Ms Wasley asked on Friday.
“No, it was certainly well beyond romantic cards and notes in year 12. He started grooming me in year 11,” AB said.
A former schoolmate of AB’s said that she noticed her friend began going missing during recess and lunch around the first half of 1980.
The woman, who also cannot be identified, told the court that she noticed AB going into Dawson’s office.
The court has heard that AB endured an unhappy home life at the hands of an alcoholic mother and stepfather.
The woman said that AB told her Dawson would: “give her guidance and this is why she needed to be in his office.”
She said she and her friends would often go to Dawson’s office and knock on the door, asking for AB to come out.
“Once I opened the door and I saw her sitting on his lap,” the woman said.
The trial continues on Monday.