From the Australian, I'm Claire Harvey. Today, we're bringing you this special bonus episode

about Daily News podcast, The Front.

Murderer and child sex offender Christopher Michael Dawson will serve three years in

prison for the unlawful carnal knowledge of a sixteen year old pupil who later became

his wife and his accuser.

In the New South Wales District Court on Friday morning, Judge Sarah Huggard delivered her sentence.

Christopher Dawson, for the offence of carnal knowledge of a girl above the age of ten

years and under the age of seventeen years, and who was your pupil. I sentenced you to imprisonment

for three years, commencing on 30 August 2039 and expiring on 29 August 2042, with an

unparall period of two years expiring on 29 August 2041, on which date you are eligible

for parole.

That complex bit of calculation means Dawson's minimum time in jail has been extended by one

year. He's presently serving 24 years for the murder of his wife Lynn, and it becomes

eligible for parole in August 2040 for that offence. Now, the carnal knowledge sentence

adds an extra year of mandatory time.

It might all be moot, however, new laws in New South Wales achieved by a campaign led by

Lynn's grieving family means Dawson won't be eligible for parole at all unless he reveals

what he did with Lynn's body. In just a moment you'll hear how Judge Sarah Huggard's sentence

unfolded, as well as submissions from the Crown Prosecutor and Defence Council. Plus

later in the episode, the journalist who exposed Dawson as a murderer and child sex offender,

the Australian's National Chief Correspondent, Headley Thomas, joins us with his reaction

to the sentence.

...