Chris Dawson to face trial over relationship with teen

The former Newtown Jets rugby league player was a sports teacher at a public high school in the Northern Beaches, where he allegedly began a relationship with a student.

The student was 16 at the time the two allegedly began having sexual intercourse while Dawson was aged in his thirties.

The former teacher has denied the charge.

Downing Centre District Court was told on Friday that Dawson's defence is expected to file a judge-alone trial application in the coming weeks and the accused will face a readiness hearing on April 27.

The trial is set down to start on May 29.