Boat-rage fallout

A convicted murderer has admitted his role in a boat-rage incident at a Coromandel wharf. John Frederick Dixon yesterday admitted dangerous activity involving ships and assaulting Catherine Maree Browning at Tairua on January 23. Judge Paul Mabey convicted and fined Dixon $750 in the Thames District Court, and also sentenced him to nine months’ supervision. Browning resigned as deputy principal of Tairua School and was granted diversion. She swung an oar at Dixon. Being on life parole, he was recalled to prison. Because of his criminal history an interim recall order came into effect, pending a final decision by the Parole Board.