Antonie Dixon's son on meth charge

The son of samurai sword killer Antonie Dixon has been charged with dealing the drug that made his father and P notorious in New Zealand.

Tony Damon Nicholls, 21, has appeared in the Auckland District Court to face a single charge of possession to supply methamphetamine, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Known as "Little T", Nicholls has been remanded on bail and will reappear in court this month.

He was arrested when police were called to a Galatos St address, near Karangahape Rd, after reports of gunfire in and around an apartment building shortly before 9pm on July 31.

No one was injured by the gunshots, but the inside walls of an apartment and a passing vehicle were damaged by the blasts.

Nicholls was seen leaving the scene in a car and was stopped by police, before being charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply.

He refused to co-operate with police but the Weekend Herald understands the confrontation started after gang members used standover tactics in an attempt to extort drug money from him.

Police are still investigating the shooting but no arrests have been made.

The charge of possession to supply methamphetamine means Nicholls is accused of being caught with at least 5g of P, with a street value of between $5000 and $10,000.

His father, Antonie Dixon, became the face of the drug after a P-fuelled rampage in which he murdered James Te Aute and attacked Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler with a samurai sword in January 2003.

Dixon was found guilty of the crimes twice, after a trial in May 2005 and subsequent retrial in August last year.

The original convictions were quashed when the Court of Appeal found Justice Judith Potter made errors in directing the jury when summing up the 2005 case.

Dixon, who was found dead in his Paremoremo Prison cell on the day he was to be sentenced in February, has nine children.