Bondi killer's ‘red flags' before attack

Perth Now

22-05-2025

Joel Cauchi was exhibiting 'red flags' that he was relapsing months after he was taken off antipsychotic medication five years before he went on a horrific rampage through Westfield Bondi Junction, a psychiatrist has told an inquest.
An inquest is examining the events that led to Cauchi, 40, killing six people in Sydney's eastern suburbs on April 13, 2024.
Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia died and another 10 were stabbed by Cauchi before he was shot by police.
Cauchi, who grew up in Toowoomba in Queensland, was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 17 and was medicated until he stopped taking all psychotropic medication in June 2019.
His mental health and treatment is one of the issues being probed during the five-week inquest.
From 2001 to 2012, he was managed within the public mental health system with psychotropic medication and from 2012 until February 2020 he was treated by a private psychiatrist.
The inquest previously heard that his private psychiatrist, known as Dr A, had not sought a second opinion when she decided in 2018 to take Cauchi off clozapine - despite doing so when she had begun to gradually reduce his dose in 2015 after he complained of oversedation.
He took abilify to treat obsessive compulsive disorder until he was taken off the medication in June 2019. Westfield Bondi Junction killer Joel Cauchi. Supplied. Credit: Supplied
A panel of five psychiatrists - Professor Matthew Large, Professor Anthony Harris, Professor Edward Heffernan, Professor Olav Nielsen and Denmark-based expert Professor Merete Nordentoft - on Thursday gave evidence to the court about Cauchi's care.
The court has heard that in a termination of treatment notice, Dr A described Cauchi as being treated for 'first episode psychosis' and he had no relapse for 'over 16 years'.
However, the panel of psychiatrists agreed that it was wrong to refer to him as suffering from 'first episode psychosis' and rather he had a chronic condition.
When asked by counsel assisting the coroner Peggy Dwyer whether it was a mistake to initially wean Cauchi off antipsychotic medication, Dr Nielssen told the court: 'Yes, in hindsight'.
'It appears to have been made very much with Mr Cauchi's wishes,' Dr Nielssen said.
Dr Large told the court that: 'We are all subject to outcome bias and hindsight bias.' Bondi stabbing victims Jade Young, Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton, Cheng Yixuan, Faraz Ahmed Tahir and Pikria Darchia. Credit: Supplied
In late 2019, Cauchi's mother contacted his psychiatrist expressing concerns about his behaviour and a possible relapse.
She said: 'I have noticed a gradual decline in his condition' and she had a feeling he was 'hearing voices'.
She later told one of the nurses at the clinic that he had alluded in a note to being 'under Satanic control'.
Cauchi separately emailed the clinic asking to help him arrange a 'porn-free phone'.
He had initially agreed to go back on a low dose of clozapine however he later changed his mind.
His father Andrew, who the court heard had also suffered from mental illness, was adamant that he did not want his son to go on medication.
Professor Nordentoft said there were 'several red flags' which were raised by Cauchi's mother.
'I agree there are several red flags and I think the most important ones are the ones raised by his mother his knows the most about his condition,' Dr Nordentoft said.
Professor Heffernan agreed there were 'red flags' and Dr Nielsen said that Cauchi was clearly relapsing at that point.
The court was told that the risk of relapse for patients who discontinue anti-psychotic medication was 77 per cent at one year and 80 per cent after two years. While those who remained on medication, the risk of relapse was 10 per cent.
The inquest heard details of his teenage years when he developed psychotic symptoms.
In 2001, Cauchi's father had to move churches because Cauchi believed he was a prophet.
The court was told he went from a scholarship student to experiencing symptoms of psychosis in his final year of school.
He was verbally abusive and aggressive and threatened a person that he had a gun in his bag,
He was hospitalised in early 2001 after he was damaging doors at home, exhibited auditory and visual hallucinations, was paranoid and believed he had been possessed by demons.
The inquest continues.