Former pub chef Mark Dixie displayed a chilling arrogance as he stood trial for the heinous murder of 18-year-old model Sally Anne Bowman. The prosecutor, Brian Altman KC, grilled Dixie over the horrifying details of the crime, which took place in the early hours of September 25, 2005, just yards from Bowman's home in Croydon, South London. Dixie repeatedly stabbed Bowman before raping her as she lay dead or dying.
During the trial, Dixie offered a dubious defense, claiming he thought Bowman had passed out from drinking and he "took advantage." He maintained he did not realize she was dead, despite her being naked and covered in blood. "I was not expecting anyone to be dead in the street," Dixie told the court, a statement that has haunted crime reporters. He admitted to not calling emergency services and stated, "Nothing like that came into my head."
Dixie, then 35, had been lurking in the area after failing to find a drug dealer. He saw Bowman being dropped off by her on-off boyfriend Lewis Sproston. After stabbing Bowman three times in the neck and twice in the stomach, Dixie took her bra and bag as trophies. He attempted to conceal his DNA by covering the scene with cement dust.
A jury convicted Dixie of murder in just three hours. Judge Gerald Gordon described his crime as "repulsive" and noted his "not the slightest remorse." Linda Bowman, Sally Anne's mother, read a victim impact statement, recounting her last moments with her daughter. "On September 24, 2005, at 4.05pm, I kissed and cuddled my little girl," she said. "We said we loved each other and waved goodbye. I never knew this would be the last time I'd see her beautiful smile or hear her voice."
The Metropolitan Police launched a large homicide investigation, eventually arresting Dixie nine months after the murder when his DNA was collected following a minor altercation. He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 34 years. In 2017, Dixie received two additional life sentences for prior rapes.
Dixie's criminal history predates Bowman's murder. He had convictions for indecent exposure and a sex assault in the UK and was deported from Australia following an attempted rape. His DNA later linked him to the wrongful imprisonment of Romano van der Dussen, who had served 12 years for rapes that Dixie confessed to. Van der Dussen's conviction was quashed in 2016.
Investigators believe Dixie may have committed other crimes dating back to the 1980s, including potential murders, for which other individuals may have served time. The veteran crime reporter who covered the trial described Dixie as having "evil running through him like a stick of rock."