Dixie tells court he used hundreds of prostitutes

5:01pm Monday 18th February 2008

Mark Dixie visited brothels hundreds of times while in Australia and had a penchant for Asian girls, a court has heard.

Giving evidence this afternoon the 37-year-old told the Old Bailey he and pals visited brothels and massage parlours once or twice a week for a year while he was living in Perth.

Dixie is accused of murdering teen model Sally Anne Bowman in a frenzied knife attack on September 25, 2005.

But he denies killing her saying he had sex with her dead or dying body and someone else must have murdered her.

The pub chef told an Old Bailey jury he had a lot of cash after splitting with his girlfriend Sandy - the mum of two of his children - which he spent gambling at casinos or on trips to brothels with pals in Perth.

"If I had had a good week I would go to massage parlours. We would play golf and then we would crack on in the evening," he said.

He added: "That was once or twice a week for about a year."

Dixie told the court he had a preference for Asian women.

Earlier today the court heard from a Thai woman who had suffered a sex attack in Perth in 1998.

Forensic scientist Julie-Ann Cornelius told the court DNA tests on semen found in the victim's knickers matched Dixie.

When asked about that Dixie told the court he could only think the victim must have been a prostitute he had slept with or a woman he had met in a club and denied attacking her.

He also denied indecently assaulting a Jehovah's Witness, despite pleading guilty to it at the time, saying he lied so he would not be charged with GBH and face a 10-year jail term.

"There was no sexual assault at all as far as I was concerned," he said.

He added: "At 17 years old, I'm not prepared to do 10 years in prison. Not with everything which had gone on between me and Sandy."

As Dixie gave evidence Sally Anne's mum, Linda Bowman, visibly shook and grasped at the heart-shaped necklace she was wearing.

The model's dad laughed sarcastically as Dixie gave evidence.

The trial continues.

For more from the trial click here.

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