Dixon retrial gets underway in Auckland 

The re-trial of a man accused of hacking two women with a samurai sword and shooting dead a man in a petrol station has begun in Auckland.

Anthonie Dixon was found guilty of the crimes in 2005 but the court of appeal quashed the convictions last year and granted another trial. The reasons for the decision are suppressed.

He was back in the dock again on Monday, and is facing a total of eight charges including murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and grievous bodily harm.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He stood quietly in the dock with his head bowed, flanked by two security guards as the case opened on Monday morning.

The Crown told the court that on January 22, 2003, Dixon attacked Simone Butler and Renee Hills with a samurai sword in a warehouse, before driving to Auckland where it is alleged he shot James te Aute with a machine gun.

From there, it is alleged he drove to East Tamaki and took a man hostage.

The Crown says Dixon was itching to have a shoot out with police, and his grand plan was to take out as many police as he could.

The judge has told the jury that they are not to do their own research on the case on the internet and are to judge it on what has been presented before them in court.

Dixon's lawyers outlined their defence on Monday, saying there were issues of insanity, however the prosecutor says Dixon knew what he was doing at the time of the incident.

The Crown is expected to call more than 60 witnesses and whether Dixon was of sound mind or not will be decided at the end of the six week trial.