Fear over indecent act drives disgusted woman from her home

Peter John Dixon, 60, has been sentenced for indecent exposure. Photo: Albert McKnight.

The victim of a suburban roadside masturbator felt so unsafe that she eventually moved homes because of his “escalating behaviour”.

Court documents show Peter John Dixon, now 60, was seen standing near a quiet road in Isabella Plains wearing nothing but a t-shirt on a night in April last year.

As he was illuminated by the streetlights, his victims saw him masturbating. One yelled at him about his behaviour and he fled.

Another victim, who was left crying in his wake, wrote a statement for the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday (5 October) to say she felt repulsed and disgusted by what he had done.

She said she felt unsafe and had already put her home on the market prior to the incident due to what she said was Dixon’s escalating behaviour. They had had previous interactions.

Another victim wrote a statement for the court where he said, “this incident has filled me with fear”. He was afraid for his family’s safety.

Andrew Fraser of Armstrong Legal said Dixon had a “memory blackout” at the time of the incident, felt remorse and shame and had written a “heartfelt” letter of apology.

Mr Fraser said when he showed his client the statements written by his victims, “he was visibly moved by what was there”.

Dixon had a career in the public service and worked with the Canberra Institute of Technology, but is now on a disability pension.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said he had a “somewhat problematic” use of alcohol which played a role in this incident.

She said her biggest concern was the impact of this type of behaviour on other people.

“As we all know, that kind of behaviour in public can be very disconcerting,” she said.

Dixon, from Isabella Plains, pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent exposure. He was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour order.