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The sister of murder-accused Antonie Dixon has described the physical and emotional abuse her brother suffered as a child at the hands of their mother and elders from the Jehovah's Witness church to which she belonged.
In the High Court at Auckland, Carla Dixon-Foxley today gave graphic examples of the abuse their mother Belle subjected Dixon to, calling her a sick woman.
Dixon, 40, faces eight charges relating to incidents that occurred in January 2003 when Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler were attacked with a samurai sword at Pipiroa near Thames and James Te Aute was shot dead in Auckland.
Dixon was found guilty in 2005 of eight charges, including murder and causing grievous bodily harm but the Court of Appeal later ordered a second trial, suppressing its reasons for quashing the earlier verdicts.
Ms Dixon-Foxley, 49, a nutritionist based in London, cried and struggled to regain her composure as she began her testimony, telling the court she had hoped to see her brother before she gave evidence.
Dixon cried in the dock as he looked at his sister.
Ms Dixon-Foxley said their mother was abusive, both verbally and physically.
"She hit us a lot," she said.
Mrs Dixon, who gave birth to Dixon at the age of 47, became involved with the Jehovah's Witness church and quoted biblical verse often, she said.
"She was always calling Tony the spawn of the devil, the rod of the devil," she said.
Her behaviour was very unpredictable, with constant mood swings, she said.
Dixon received the worst of their mother's punishment, she said.
"Because he was much younger, he got the full swing of it."
Their father had left home and Dixon was left at home alone to deal with their mother, she said.
"She liked to hit you across the face because it was the most effective way of suppressing you."
Dixon was chained up outside to the clothes line "like a dog," Ms Dixon-Foxley said.
Their mother would call "the brothers" of the church around to beat him, she said.
"The brothers would come and administer punishments on him."
Mrs Dixon took in boarders, many of whom had mental issues.
"It was like living in a madhouse."
Their father, who died when Dixon was 10, had been the product of an incestuous relationship and was "unable to give out much emotionally," she said.
"He was actually quite a loving father to us but he used to get harassed by our mother to beat us."
Ms Dixon-Foxley said she tried to support Dixon when he was institutionalised at Carrington Hospital.
"He was paranoid about people finding out about him."
Ms Dixon-Foxley said welfare officials were concerned with signs of "irregular behaviour".
Dixon believed people were watching him and spying on him, she said.
The trial continues.
- NZPA
