Dixon trial 'shows P not a defence'

Crown solicitor Simon Moore, seen here after the case, said he was relieved at the verdict. Picture / Fotopress

The conviction of Antonie Ronnie Dixon shows criminals on P will not be able to use the drug as a defence for their actions, Auckland's top prosecutor has said.

Dixon was yesterday found guilty of the murder of James Te Aute, who was shot with a homemade sub-machine gun in East Auckland on January 21, 2003.

He was also convicted of another seven charges including firearms offences and kidnapping and will be sentenced in May.

Dixon, 36, had denied all the charges, including the attempted murders of Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler, who were mutilated by a samurai sword in Pipiroa on the same day. Ms Gunbie lost a hand in the attack.

He was cleared of the attempted murder charges, but the jury said it did not clear him on the grounds of insanity.

The trial had been told Dixon was a nasty, angry man who embarked on a crime spree while fired up on the drug methamphetamine, or P. His defence lawyers claimed Dixon was insane.

Simon Moore, Crown solicitor for Auckland, said after the verdict: "This is probably the first major trial where P has been involved and a judge has said that the consumption of P on its own, even if it might induce a psychosis, is not enough to amount to insanity for the purposes of our Crimes Act. That is important."

He added: "Clearly this jury completely rejected the question of P as anything to do with what he did. At least from my point of view, that is something of a relief.

"P loomed very large, really large in this trial. And it is a very frightening drug. But what we saw in terms of symptoms that this man exhibited, of the paranoia and the violence, are all consistent with P and certainly this jury concluded that they were inconsistent with insanity."

Police also said the verdict sent a message that the courts would not accept the effects of taking P as a reason to get off serious charges.

Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand said: "I think the case has shown that P, in cases like this, is just another intoxicant and people are going to be held accountable for their actions whether or not they are using it."

Dixon's defence counsel Barry Hart has said he will lodge an appeal after his client is sentenced.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF