Chris Dawson has been committed to stand trial for the alleged murder of his wife Lynette Dawson nearly 40 years ago.

Key points: Lynette Dawson disappeared from Sydney's northern beaches in 1982

Lynette Dawson disappeared from Sydney's northern beaches in 1982 Four witnesses gave evidence in court that they saw her after she vanished

Four witnesses gave evidence in court that they saw her after she vanished Mr Dawson's lawyer said his client was looking forward to clearing his name

The 71-year-old faced a four-day committal hearing this week and denies having anything to do with Ms Dawson's disappearance from Sydney's northern beaches in 1982.

A Sydney court heard evidence from four witnesses who claimed to have seen Ms Dawson between three months and two years after she was said to have vanished.

The former Newtown Jets rugby league player will be arraigned in early April.

"I don't think any accused person necessarily looks forward to this process," Mr Dawson's lawyer, Greg Walsh, said outside Downing Centre Local Court.

"It's a very stressful one. He lives interstate and no doubt he would find it a very difficult process.

"But having faced this situation for some time he's looking forward to clearing his name."

Mr Dawson's brother-in-law, Ross Hutcheon, on Thursday became the fourth witness this week to claim to have seen Ms Dawson after she was said to have vanished.

Via a video link from Western Australia, Mr Hutcheon recalled he saw Ms Dawson three to six months after she disappeared, waiting at a bus stop near a hospital in Gladesville.

"It was in broad daylight. There was no rain, no fog, clear vision," he said.

Lyn Dawson is thought to have gone missing in 1982, but a neighbour claimed to see her years after. ( Supplied )

Mr Hutcheon was visited by two police officers in 1999 and said he told them about the sighting.

The only other person he had told, until recently, was his wife.

"As far as I was concerned the police had every detail I had of the sighting," he said.

"I thought the system knew."

Mr Hutcheon said he was aware at the time Ms Dawson had left the marital home.

"I made a very, very, very big mistake by not stopping the car in the first place and talking to Lyn.

"I just didn't realise the implications of the whole issue."

On Wednesday, Ms Dawson's former neighbours, Peter and Jill Breese, also claimed to have seen her working at a private hospital in 1984 — about two years after she disappeared.

Ms Dawson's disappearance was examined in an investigative podcast by The Australian, The Teacher's Pet.

Mr Dawson's legal team has repeatedly raised concerns about the contamination of evidence and other problems posed by the material, which has been removed from the newspaper's website.

Mr Walsh said he believed the Supreme Court trial would take place this year.