Families of Westfield Bondi Junction attack victims submit list of issues to be examined in coronial inquest

Family members of those killed in the Bondi Junction stabbing attack have put forth a list of issues they want examined as part of a five-week coronial inquest into the horrific incident.

Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia were all killed at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13 last year after they were stabbed to death.

Cauchi, 40, stabbed a total of 16 people in less than three minutes before NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott single-handedly followed Cauchi through the centre and shot him.

A coronial inquest into the fatal attack is slated to begin on April 28 and extend until May 30, examining who died, the circumstances surrounding their deaths, and how Cauchi may have fallen “through the cracks” of the country’s mental health system.

NSW State Coroner Magistrate Teresa O’Sullivan will be assisted by barristers Peggy Dwyer SC, Emma Sullivan and Christopher Murphy throughout the inquest, as well as a team of 15 NSW Crown solicitors.

Some family members of the victims watched a directions hearing on Monday morning via a video link, including the brother and sister of Mr Tahir who dialled in from overseas, his other brother who dialled in from Australia, and the family of Ms Cheng who also dialled in online from overseas.

Ms Dwyer said the assisting counsel had spoken with members of each victim’s family, who helped amend the list of issues that will be explored in the inquest.

She noted while the inquest is required by law, many families had specifically requested it, and that issues they’re interested in be addressed.

“For example, very soon after this tragedy occurred more than one of the families was identifying for the court their interest in an inquest that investigated issues like the effectiveness of Westfield Bondi Junction, security systems which were challenged by an act of such significant violence,” Ms Dwyer told the court.

Other issues identified by the families included whether there were gaps in the mental health system and the training of security guards.

“A common theme, to implement any measures possible to protect other families from experiencing such a tragedy,” Ms Dwyer told the court.

Sue Chrysanthou, appearing for the Good, Young and Singleton families — however not Dawn’s father, John — said the families were grateful for the inquest and the sensitivity shown by the assisting team.

“We on their behalf are extremely grateful for that co-operation. From their perspective, their lives have been changed in a way that none of us can really comprehend, having not been in their situation,” Ms Chrisanthou told the court.

“Children’s lives have been altered by what occurred, and it’s important for them to understand if anything else could’ve been done, or if any recommendations can be made by you to ensure that if this ever happens again it won’t be as impactful on the family as it has been.”

Representatives for Mr Tahir, Ms Cheng and Ms Dashir’s family also thanked the assisting team in the inquest.

The inquest is set to examine and “learn the lessons that may save lives” rather than assign blame to parties, Ms Dwyer told the court, with a raft of experts set to be called in.

Some of the issues explored will include whether the mental health treatment received by Cauchi was “adequate and appropriate” leading up to the attack, his interactions with both Queensland and NSW police “and the status of his mental health at those times”, and whether there were opportunities for early intervention during those interactions with police.

Scentre group, which manages Westfield, will also be probed, as well as subcontractors Glad Group and Falcon, while the response of NSW Ambulance and whether there were any impediments to response by the emergency service will be examined.

The families also requested the “general nature and content of the media response” be looked at through the inquest, and the impact of the media reporting on the families of those who lost loved ones.

“A number of families have reported their significant distress at graphic footage being shown in the media,” Ms Dwyer told the court.

Whether it is “necessary or desirable to make recommendations that may save lives in the future” has also been added as an item to be addressed over the five weeks.

This could include the treatment for someone suffering chronic schizophrenia such as Cauchi, whether there could or should be restrictions on the sale of weapons, the adequacy of media responses, and the equipment provided to security contractors, the training given to security guards, and other security measures implemented at shopping centres.

Speaking to the brief of evidence, Ms Dwyer said several experts were expected to be brought in over the five weeks, including multiple psychiatrists and a security expert that had previously given evidence in inquests across the globe such as the Manchester bombing and the Christchurch mosque shooting.

Reports from four psychiatrists are included in the brief of evidence “because, of course, the issue of mental health — and the management or mismanagement of Mr Cauchi’s mental health — looms large in this inquest”.

A Danish expert in schizophrenia is also set to be brought in to compare best practice for treatment of the condition to that of Australia’s as well as reports from GPs in Queensland and NSW.

An emergency medicine specialist and toxicologist are also expected to give reports and/or evidence.

Cauchi’s mental health decline

Cauchi grew up in Toowoomba and was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 17. Peggy Dwyer SC last year told the court she expected evidence to find Cauchi had been receiving treatment and was on medication for his schizophrenia until June 2019, where his medication was gradually stopped.

He saw a psychiatrist until February 2020, however following his move to Brisbane it appeared “there was no particular treatment directed at Mr Cauchi’s mental health, and the evidence suggests a deterioration in his mental health over that time”.

Cauchi called police in January 2023 and claimed his father had stolen his knives after he retuned to Toowoomba.

“These were the same type of knife used in the Bondi Junction attack which was a Ka-Bar USMC utility fixed blade knife which Mr Cauchi told Queensland Police he collected,” Ms Dwyer told the court.

She said Cauchi’s family told police they’d confiscated them because they were worried about “the deterioration of their son’s mental state” and that he had long-term schizophrenia and was no longer medicated.

“I expect the evidence to be that police officers did not consider that they had a basis to detain Mr Cauchi involuntarily under the Mental Health Act at that time, but instead they spoke to him about the fact that his parents had taken the knives because they were worried about his mental health,” Ms Dwyer told the court in the earlier hearing.

Ms Dwyer said she expected evidence to be that an officer sent an email to a Queensland Police unit specialising in mental health raising concerns over Cauchi’s mental health, while a “Be On The Lookout” flag was placed on Cauchi the following month after he again made a complaint to police over claims his father had stolen his knives.

By December 2023 Cauchi was homeless in NSW, likely living under the Maroubra Beach Pavilion.

The day of the attack

Cauchi left Maroubra to go to a Waterloo storage unit on April 13, arriving at 7.30am.

He stayed about an hour and a half, and CCTV footage captured him moving a large Ka-Bar hunting knife between bags.

He left without the knife at 9.30am, however he returned at 11.10am to grab a backpack which had the knife hidden inside.

He entered Westfield Bondi Junction about 3.12pm and walked in and out before he entered again at 3.31pm and stood in line at the Sourdough Bakery behind Dawn Singleton.

“After fidgeting for a few minutes, Mr Cauchi removed the knife from his backpack … tragically, he stabbed and fatally injured Dawn, who was the first of his 16 victims,” Ms Dwyer said.

He then attacked Jade Young, Yixuan Cheng, Ashlee Good, Faraz Tahir and Pikria Darchia, however others were also injured during the attack.

Ms Dwyer said Inspector Scott chased Cauchi through the shopping centre, followed by civilians brandishing chairs and other objects “ready to assist” the officer.

Cauchi stopped near the air bridge on level 5 near civilians who were trying to run and hide.

“After pausing for a few seconds when he stopped, Mr Cauchi then charged towards Inspector Scott with the knife held out in his right hand,” Ms Dwyer said.

Inspector Scott retreated and yelled at Cauchi to stop and drop his weapon, however she shot Cauchi twice at 3.38pm after he failed to do so.