A doctor who previously treated Joel Cauchi, the man behind the Sydney mall stabbing attack in 2024, has told a court that the mass killing was not the result of a psychotic episode, but instead fueled by hatred toward women, sexual frustration, and pornography addiction.
This statement was made during a coronial inquest on May 13, 2025, contradicting earlier expert claims that Cauchi was in a state of psychosis at the time of the violent attack.
Attack at Westfield Sydney: Six Killed, 12 Injured
On April 13, 2024, Joel Cauchi fatally stabbed six people and injured 12 others at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center in Sydney before being shot dead by police. One of the victims, Ash Good, 38, later died in hospital. Her 9-month-old baby was also injured but survived.
The tragedy shocked Australia and led to widespread mourning and calls for deeper investigations into mental health care, warning signs, and public safety.
Doctor Claims Attack Was Not Due to Mental Illness
The doctor, known only as “Dr. A” for legal reasons, treated Cauchi for eight years in Queensland and said in court that Cauchi was not experiencing psychosis at the time of the stabbing.
“That was nothing to do with psychosis,” Dr. A said, per The Guardian. “It might have been due to his frustrations — sexual frustration, pornography, and hatred towards women.”
Dr. A also said that Cauchi was not on medication at the time of the attack, having been weaned off antipsychotic drugs like Clopine and Abilify by 2019. The doctor claimed the medication “would have made no difference.”
Cauchi’s Decline Was Dismissed by Doctor
Cauchi’s mother had raised concerns in late 2019, warning that her son was showing disturbing behavior, including writing about being under “satanic” control and obsessing over pornography and sexually transmitted infections.
Dr. A told the inquest he saw no signs of a psychotic relapse and defended the decision to stop medication.
“It was my decision, and his decision,” Dr. A said, per The Sydney Morning Herald. “I did not fail in my care of Joel. I have no error on my behalf.”
He argued that Cauchi’s actions were more consistent with anger, control issues, and hatred toward women, rather than a mental health breakdown.
Conflicting Views on Cauchi’s Mental State
This claim clashes with earlier psychiatric assessments, where some experts said Cauchi was “floridly psychotic” during the attack. Queensland Police also mentioned that Cauchi had mental health issues during a press conference after the tragedy.
However, the latest evidence adds complexity to the case, raising new questions about whether the attack was planned and intentional, rather than a result of mental illness alone.
Family Expresses Shock and Grief
Following the attack, Cauchi’s family released a public statement through the BBC:
“We are absolutely devastated by the traumatic events… Joel’s actions were truly horrific, and we are still trying to comprehend what has happened.”
The inquest continues to examine how Cauchi’s case was managed and whether anything could have been done to prevent the mass stabbing.
The latest testimony challenges early assumptions about Joel Cauchi’s mental health, suggesting instead that the Sydney mall stabbing was driven by deep-rooted anger and misogyny. As the inquest continues, the case highlights the urgent need to examine how mental health systems identify and respond to potential threats, especially when signs are ambiguous or dismissed. The findings could influence future approaches to both public safety and psychiatric treatment.
