KEY POINTS:
Crown prosecutors in the trial of murder accused Antonie Dixon have challenged his evidence testifying God commanded him to chop two women's heads off, saying he had not mentioned the biblical vision to police in the hours following his arrest.
A noticeably jumpier Dixon is being cross-examined before a packed public gallery in the High Court at Auckland today, after spending yesterday giving evidence.
Dixon, 40, faces eight charges including murdering James Te Aute, shot dead in Auckland, and causing Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler grievous bodily harm with a samurai sword at Pipiroa, near Thames in 2003.
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.
Dixon yesterday told the court God instructed him to behead the two women and then turn the sword upon himself.
When the sword broke, he took it as a "symbolic symbol it wasn't meant to be".
Dixon said he was sad and crying after the sword attack and was confused. If the women had knelt down as he instructed them to do, he would have chopped their heads off.
Crown prosecutor Simon Moore challenged Dixon, saying when the sword broke he found it funny and was "pissed off" he could not finish the job.
An often rambling Dixon said it was "just his personality" which made him say things which he often did not mean.
"Are you confused now?" Mr Moore asked.
Dixon replied he was a bit confused, but also not confused, calling Mr Moore a "tricky customer" who was trying to trick him into saying things he did not mean, drawing laughter from the jury and the public gallery.
He meant to save the women's lives by chopping their heads off because they were "immoral".
The three of them would have travelled to the "promised world" together, he said.
"If it had gone well, I wouldn't be here."
Mr Moore put to Dixon that following his arrest, he had never claimed God was responsible for the attacks.
"You're prepared to tell us now about God, aren't you?"
Dixon said he had not told police initially because he did not trust the police, but had told Ms Butler about the command.
Dixon said while he was sure God was talking to him at the time, he was now unsure.
The trial continues.
- NZPA
