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Jun 14, 2023

Witness claims Chris Dawson warned him to 'stay away' from 16

Chris Dawson's carnal knowledge trial has heard evidence of an angry

Chris Dawson's carnal knowledge trial has heard evidence of an angry confrontation in which he allegedly told a teenage boy to stay away from the 16-year-old he was romantically involved with.

The former teacher has pleaded not guilty to one count of carnal knowledge of a girl aged over 10 and under 17.

The complainant, known only as AB, alleges sexual activity began when she was 16 years old.

Dawson, who is currently serving a 24-year prison sentence for the murder of his first wife Lynette Simms, doesn't deny the sexual activity but claims it began when AB was older.

On Tuesday the court heard the testimony of a man who worked at a Northern Beaches supermarket with the complainant, known as AB, when they were both teenagers.

The witness, who can't be identified for legal reasons, told the court he thought she was "very attractive" and had asked her out on at least one occasion.

"I would have said [do you want to] see a movie, or 'see you at the disco,' or something like that," he said.

Sometime after the unsuccessful attempt at a date, he told the court, he was accosted by Dawson while collecting trolleys in the supermarket's underground car park.

"Mr Dawson came out of the shadows… he approached me and… he was pushing my chest. Not aggressively, more in a threatening way.

"Then he said words to the effect of, 'Stay away from her, don't go near her'. I was completely perplexed about what was going on."

He said he had never met Dawson, but that he recognised the then-rugby league player from television, and because he'd been coached by Dawson's twin brother Paul.

He said he only realised who Dawson was referring to after Dawson mentioned AB's name.

Dawson doesn't deny a confrontation took place, but under cross-examination defence lawyer Claire Wasley suggested it had not taken place in the way the witness described.

"What I suggest is that the accused did confront you but… he didn't touch you, and he wasn't threatening in any way. Do you agree or disagree with that?" she asked.

"Disagree," he responded.

Ms Wasley suggested the witness had asked AB on a date "more than twice," and pointed to an earlier interview in which he'd told a reporter he'd done so "every second or third week".

"It's possible", the witness said.

"It was 44 years ago and we were 16… we never went out or anything."

A former student at the high school where Dawson taught this week told the court he'd thought of AB as "celebrity" who'd appeared to be Dawson's "sidekick" and would stand close to him when he was on duty in the playground.

"It was like she was doing playground duty with him which was unusual because teachers usually did [it] on their own."

MARS Australia (for men affected by rape and sexual abuse): 3857 1222

Another former student said she'd walked into Dawson's office one day in 1980 to give him a note excusing her from class to go to the dentist.

"[AB] was sitting on the desk and Chris Dawson was standing between her legs," she said.

"From memory, [AB] didn't say anything and Mr Dawson just asked me, what did I want?"

Under cross-examination the defence showed the witness a police statement in which she had initially claimed the incident happened when she was in year 10.

"Obviously it was an error, [stating] that I was in year 10… it was in year 9 that I had the dental work done," the witness responded.

The trial before Justice Sarah Huggett continues.