Bondi Junction stabbings: Joel Cauchi’s illicit drug use ‘quite likely’ played part in murders, inquest hears

Joel Cauchi’s illicit drug use was ‘quite likely’ to have played a role in his stabbing murders of six people and his autonomy had to be respected when he decided to cease taking antipsychotic medication, a court has heard. Cauchi, 40, killed Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Yixuan Cheng, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, and Faraz Tahir, 30, and injured 10 others at Westfield Bondi Junction on 13 April last year, before he was shot and killed by police inspector Amy Scott. As the inquest into the attack draws to a close, Mark Lynch, the lawyer for Cauchi’s former psychiatrist, Dr Andrea Boros-Lavack, told the New South Wales coroner’s court that Cauchi’s phone and internet records showed it was “apparent that he was seeking” cocaine, MDMA and cannabis in late 2023 and early 2024. Related: Bondi Junction stabbings: Joel Cauchi’s psychiatrist was belligerent and confrontational when giving evidence, inquest told Further, his resumption of drug use was “quite likely” to have played a part in the events of that day, although cocaine and MDMA were not found in his toxicology report, he said on Friday, the final day of oral submissions. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Lynch argued that, contrary to the “unduly harsh” criticisms levelled at his client, the evidence clearly demonstrated that her care of Cauchi did meet professional standards, but for her discharge of Cauchi into the care of his GP in 2020. A key subject in the proceedings has been whether Boros-Lavack should have weaned Cauchi from his antipsychotic medication in 2019. Despite Boros-Lavack “immediately” prescribing the antipsychotic drug Abilify after “there was clear recognition of early warning signs” of relapse, Cauchi made the decision not to resume the medication, Lynch said. And given Cauchi did not reach the threshold required to administer medications to him without his will, “it wasn’t open to anyone, any doctor … to force him to take medication,” Lynch said. “His autonomy had to be respected,” he said. At one point in the five-week hearing in May, the Toowoomba-based psychiatrist sensationally told the court that she believed Cauchi’s attack had “nothing to do with psychosis” before she withdrew those comments the next day. Cauchi, who was homeless at the time of the attack, was “floridly psychotic” that day, experts agreed. Boros-Lavack’s conjecture traumatised families, the court was told on Tuesday. On Friday, Lynch said it was “grossly unfair” to have been forced to answer questions about his mental state on the day of the attack, given his client had not been provided with the material the experts had, and had not treated Cauchi for four years. He said it was “deeply regrettable” families had been traumatised by Boros-Lavack’s remarks “but in one sense [the questions] should never have been asked”, he said. Related: Cauchi’s mass murders put harsh spotlight on failings of mental health and police systems Senior counsel assisting the coroner, Peggy Dwyer SC, could be seen shaking her head after in response to the comment. Lynch also addressed Dwyer’s claim that Boros-Lavack had acted with “belligerence” while testifying. “She was troubled in the witness box, there’s no question about that,” Lynch said, explaining she was in pain, on medication, unaccustomed to giving evidence and “she clearly felt like she was under attack”. Responding to Dwyer’s suggestion that the coroner could refer Boros-Lavack to the health regulator, he said there was no warrant to do so, “but if the families want to do so, it is open to them”. Representing the Westfield Bondi Junction owner, Scentre Group, Dean Jordan SC also disputed some claims about how security staff had handled their response to the unprecedented events. He said some criticisms of the duty control room operator’s performance were “harsh” and that there was a consistent body of evidence that showed the operator, known only as “CR1”, was competent and did not require ongoing supervision. He said he had concerns around the procedural fairness of the inquest given an independent report into the speed of the control room response was not included in many written submissions. O’Sullivan said she was hopeful findings would be delivered before the end of the year.