Chris Dawson has been found guilty of the murder of his wife.

The former teacher and rugby league player has maintained his innocence over allegations he killed his wife Lynette, who disappeared from Sydney’s northern beaches more than 40 years ago.

She was 33 at the time and her body has never been found but the judge says that the whole of the circumstantial evidence “satisfies me that Lynette Dawson is dead”.

The case was brought back to light following The Australian’s hugely successful crime podcast The Teacher’s Pet.

Image: Getty/Lisa Maree Williams