CDPP prosecutes overseas child sex abuse crimes in the Philippines

Date of Judgment: 21 April 2023

Court: District Court of NSW

Partner Agency: Australian Federal Police

Between July 2015 and August 2019, Collen Teoxon Dixon travelled to the Philippines and engaged in, or attempted to engage in, sexual intercourse with children under 16 years of age and produced child pornography material (by recording this offending) on multiple occasions. Mr Dixon’s offending involved at least thirteen child victims.

In July 2021, Australian Federal Police officers located electronic devices in Mr Dixon’s possession containing child pornography material and child abuse material – including material produced by Mr Dixon while in the Philippines.

The matter:

Following his arrest, the CDPP prosecuted Mr Dixon where he pleaded guilty to:

• One charge of possessing child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service, contrary to section 474.22A(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)
• Nine charges of engage in sexual intercourse with child outside Australia contrary to section 272.8(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)
• Fifteen charges of producing child pornography material outside Australia contrary to section 273.5(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)
• One charge of prepare to engage in sexual intercourse with child outside Australia contrary to section 272.20(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)
• One charge of attempt to engage in sexual intercourse with child outside Australia contrary to sections 11.1(1) and 272.8(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)

Sentencing

The sentencing judge found that Mr Dixon had a long-term sexual interest in children and observed that the child victims of Mr Dixon’s offending had been treated as sexual commodities and were likely vulnerable, not only due to their age, but also due to their socio-economic circumstances.

Upon sentencing Mr Dixon, the Court took into account his mental health conditions which were held to have causally contributed to the offending and reduced his moral culpability. The sentencing judge also had regard to Mr Dixon’s early guilty pleas, genuine remorse and cooperation with authorities and noted that he had volunteered further information to investigators beyond what would have otherwise been able to be discovered.

The Court sentenced him to 16 years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 11 years’ imprisonment.

A copy of the Court’s full published reasons can be found here – R v DIXON [2023] NSWDC 109