It was the last arrest Senior Constable David Rixon would ever make.
That of his own murderer.
Despite being mortally wounded, with a bullet in his chest, the father of six managed to bring down Michael Allan Jacobs, partially handcuff him and put his gun away before collapsing to the ground.
Now Jacobs is facing a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment for murdering a police officer after a jury took less than an hour to reach a guilty verdict in the Supreme Court in Sydney on Monday.
Flanked by police officers, Sen Const Rixon's widow, Fiona Rixon, wept with joy as the jury handed down its verdict.
She and her supporters rose to their feet as a mark of respect when the jurors left court for the final time.
Speaking outside court, an emotional Ms Rixon said her husband deserved the outcome.
"David was the only man, the only police officer, ever known to arrest his own murderer," she said.
"That's pretty special."
Detective Inspector Chris Olen also paid tribute to Sen Const Rixon's "brave and courageous actions".
"David Rixon himself helped us out greatly, taking on his own attacker and handcuffing him while he was mortally wounded," he said.
During the month-long trial, harrowing audio evidence of Sen Const Rixon's last moments were played, during which he greeted Jacobs with a cheery, "G'day mate. Just going to breath test you buddy", before a series of shots rang out.
The Crown alleged Jacobs shot Sen Const Rixon with a .38 revolver, with the bullet travelling through the officer's wrist and into his chest, piercing his heart and lung.
Sen Const Rixon returned fire, hitting Jacobs in the leg, abdomen and shoulder.
Jacobs could then be heard screaming, "Die, I'm sorry. Sorry sir, sorry".
Sen Const Rixon died at the scene while Jacobs later underwent life-saving surgery.
The Crown alleged Jacobs, a drug addict who had been disqualified from driving, was high on drugs and facing the threat of imprisonment when he was pulled over by Sen Const Rixon at West Tamworth on March 2 last year.
He denied the charge and instead attempted to pin the blame on his drug dealer, a man called Terrance Price.
But crown prosecutor Pat Barrett told the jury no evidence linked Price to the scene, while Price himself took the stand and denied being there that day.
A secretly recorded conversation between Jacobs and his partner Sharon Strudwick was also played in which Jacobs could be heard saying, "I wish I hadn't have had the gun, wish I hadn't have got the s**ts that morning".
Jacobs, who remained expressionless during much of his trial, did not look at the jury and did not react after the verdict.
He will face a sentence hearing on August 1.
Acting NSW Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said this was the first time a police officer's killer would be sentenced under new mandatory sentencing laws.
"Nothing will change what has happened and the tragic loss that we are feeling."
She also paid tribute to the fallen officer's family for their "compassion, resilience, strength and grace", and to the people of Tamworth, who lined the streets on the day of Sen Const Rixon's funeral.
Share
