Tairua boat rage: Convicted murderer admits boat rage role, convicted and fined

No comment from John Dixon as he left court after admitting his role in a boat rage incident at a Coromandel wharf. Video / Belinda Feek

A convicted murderer has admitted his role in a boat rage incident at a Coromandel wharf that went around the world.

John Frederick Dixon today admitted dangerous activity involving ships and assaulting Catherine Maree Browning at Tairua on January 23.

Judge Paul Mabey today convicted and fined Dixon $750 in the Thames District Court, and also sentenced him to nine months' supervision.

The argument was captured on video and involves swearing, shouting and spitting - finishing with the inflatable dinghy starting to sink after an enraged Dixon drives into the boat Browning was on.

Browning resigned as deputy principal of Tairua School and was granted diversion over her role, when she swung an oar at Dixon.

Dixon, who is on life parole, was recalled to prison.

The Hamilton District Court heard at the time that because of his criminal history an interim recall order came into effect immediately, pending a final decision by the Parole Board.

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Court documents state that Dixon said "he was just giving back what the other vessels deserved after damaging his vessel" which he lives in.

About 3.30pm, Dixon was on his boat when two vessels went past heading towards the Tairua Wharf.

Dixon got his inflatable rubber boat and sped towards the two boats, which were now stationary at the wharf.

He approached Browning and spat at her before abusing the victim saying she had caused $1000 worth of damage to his vessel.

The pair then abused each other before Dixon drove his boat in circles and connected with her craft.

The impact caused Dixon to fall from the opposite side of the boat and into the shallow water.

As a result of being knocked off her boat, Browning suffered minor bruising to her lower leg and arm.

He declined to make a formal statement or be interviewed by police.

However he had since indicated he "feels sorry for the victim and the consequences this has caused".

As there was no damage to any other vessel, no reparation was sought.

Dixon declined to comment when approached outside court today but Judge Paul Mabey expressed concern that he was still able to get angry "in such an extreme way, at his age" and while still on parole.

"[That] indicates there is a short fuse that possibly needs attention."

He acknowledged the near seven weeks - effectively a three-month prison term - Dixon spent in custody behind bars.

Given Dixon's "extreme" health issues coupled with his limited means and the parole board's anger management condition, he felt a fine and supervision was an adequate sentence.

"Mr Dixon is not fit for community work given what I understand to be fairly extreme health issues, but in any event I consider that the least restrictive outcome is less than community work in the circumstances of this case given the fact the police will withdraw the two charges of assault with a weapon.

"On the hierarchy of sentencing I consider that a fine is appropriate for what he did.

"He's on limited means and has been on an invalid's benefit for some time."

Dixon's lawyer Peter Eastwood said outside court they were happy with the outcome and that his client wanted to resolve it despite there being "issues that he was wanting to challenge".

"But he wanted to bring it to a resolution because of health issues and get back on his boat and he's back on his boat and he's no longer on bail conditions and he can move forward."

When asked about Dixon having already served an effective three-month jail term, Eastwood said it was something Judge Mabey "cogitated on a bit".

"He said well the law doesn't give me the right to take that into account but at the end of the day he came to the conclusion that his three-month sentence should be taken into account.

"He canvassed it in his decision and we think it's a reasonable outcome, satisfactory anyway, rehabilitative and equally recognises that it was a spur of the moment thing and precipitated by the sense [of giving people] a taste of their own medicine.

"He felt that there was too much speeding going on and the local harbourmaster agrees with him," Eastwood said.

The viral video

The video shows Dixon claiming the people on Browning's boat damaged his after they exceeded the speed limit.

"You piece of s*** you've just caused $1000 of damage," Dixon screams.

"You drive past my boat, you rock it if you're not doing 5 knots."

He then circles the boat ramp while Browning grabs an oar.

When a person tells the man children are on the boat, Dixon replies, "I don't care".

He then drives directly into the back of the boat, damaging one side of his inflatable dinghy, which then starts deflating.

Browning, holding a wooden oar, can then be seen in the water swinging it at Dixon several times as he attempts to get away while young children can be heard crying in the background.

Dixon's murder conviction

Dixon has spent the past three decades on parole after he was convicted of murdering another man at the age of 16.

He was released from prison in 1987 after serving eight years for the murder of Joseph 'Little Joe' Hishon in 1978.

John Frederick Dixon during an earlier appearance in the Thames District Court. Photo / Belinda Feek

Dixon was found guilty of bashing Hishon to death after he refused to loan him money.

The 51-year-old was found in a pool of blood and died from "extensive head injuries" and a broken skull.

Dixon admitted to punching and kicking Hishon, crying to police after the crime and claiming he had only wanted to knock him out.

Psychiatrists at the trial found Dixon had severe anger issues and a personality disorder and had been sent to a boys' home at the age of 11 after his parents struggled to control him.

The trial heard Dixon had "marginally abnormal brain functions" and he had "a tendency to overreact to threats, teasing or any excitement".