Dixon sexually abused by mother, friends, court told

Antonie Dixon

Murder accused Antonie Dixon described today how he was sexually abused as a child by his mother and family friends who were part of the Jehovah's Witness church.

Dixon, 40, who has taken the stand in his own defence, told the High Court in Auckland that as a child his mother would padlock him to a fence and he would be routinely locked up, raped and molested.

"I understood from a young age that that was my role in life. To be ridiculed or persecuted," he said.

Dixon, 40, is on trial on charges including murdering James Te Aute who was shot dead in Auckland in 2003 and causing Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler grievous bodily harm with a samurai sword at Pipiroa, near Thames.

He was found guilty of the charges in 2005 but the Court of Appeal later ordered a second trial, suppressing its reasons for quashing his convictions.

Media were prohibited from filming Dixon today as he gave the evidence and members of the jury strained to hear him speak.

Dixon said as he became older and stronger, more people were used to hold him down and rape him.

His mother, who he described as a schizophrenic, was among those who abused him, he said.

Dixon said his mother padlocked him to a fence where he developed an ability to speak telepathically with dogs, which was why he always got on with dogs.

Dixon said he thought he had grown up well as he had not molested any children despite the sexual abuse he suffered.

"The sexual abuse wasn't too bad, there were about 20 people doing it on regular occasions, but there was violence," he said.

Dixon said he heard "the voice of god" and said he thought of himself as "the chosen one".

"It was a normal thing in Jehovah's Witness when you hear things."

As a child Dixon thought people were watching and following him.

"I thought the police were out to kill me and the Government had killed parts of my family."

Dixon said he thought his reward would be in the next world.

His mother had taught him to be suspicious of other people and Dixon said he thought the world was a judgmental place.