A coronial inquest into the murders of six people during a mass stabbing in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last year has commenced.
Last April, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi fatally stabbed six people and injured another 10 at Bondi Junction Westfield, before he was shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott.
The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding each death, including Cauchi’s, and the events leading to the attack.
Inquest
In NSW, a coronial inquest is held when a person dies in “sudden or unexplained” circumstances, and when there are “unresolved issues” left from an initial investigation.
It is not the same as a court hearing, and a coroner cannot find someone guilty of a crime.
At the end of an inquest, the coroner may make recommendations to the Government or relevant agencies on ways to improve public health and safety.
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This inquest will run until 30 May, and most of its proceedings will be open to the public and the media.
The coroner will hear from first responders, crime experts, witnesses, and the victims’ family members.
For example, Inspector Scott is expected to give evidence, as are Silas Despreaux and Damien Guérot, who fended off Cauchi with bollards in the shopping centre.
Proceedings
During proceedings on Monday, the inquest heard Cauchi, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, was “effectively unmedicated” for nearly five years.
Peggy Dwyer, a lawyer assisting the coroner, said: “No health practitioner held responsibility for his ongoing care”.
Dwyer also said searches of Cauchi’s phone indicate he was “preoccupied with weapons, with violence, and with mass killing.”
