Was the psychiatrist in the Bondi attack inquest in an unfair position?

Yes, her lawyer argued she was in a 'grossly unfair' position when questioned as a treating psychiatrist rather than an expert.

Who was Joel Cauchi and what happened?

Joel Cauchi was a 40-year-old man who killed six people and injured ten others during a knife attack at Bondi Junction in April 2024.

Did the psychiatrist's care contribute to the Bondi attack?

Her lawyer argued that her eight years of 'largely exemplary care' were not a material cause for the rampage.

Home / Crime and Justice / Psychiatrist Under Fire: Client's Psychosis Questioned

Psychiatrist Under Fire: Client's Psychosis Questioned

28 Nov, 2025

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Summary

Psychiatrist faced 'grossly unfair' questioning about client's psychosis.
Client killed six people and injured 10 others in a knife attack.
Lawyer argued psychiatrist was not an expert and felt attacked.

Psychiatrist Under Fire: Client's Psychosis Questioned

A psychiatrist, Andrea Boros-Lavack, found herself in a challenging situation during an inquest concerning her long-time client, Joel Cauchi, who committed a deadly stabbing spree. Her lawyer asserted that she was unfairly pressured to answer questions about Cauchi's state of psychosis during the attack, arguing she was a treating physician, not an expert. Cauchi tragically killed six individuals and injured ten others on April 13, 2024, while reportedly experiencing psychotic symptoms. Despite initial suggestions from the psychiatrist that frustration with women motivated the attack, she later retracted them. Her counsel emphasized her eight years of "largely exemplary care" and stated she could not be blamed for his decision to stop antipsychotic medication, highlighting that he fell through mental health care cracks after moving states.