Nurse 'vomited' when told former patient Joel Cauchi fatally stabbed six, Bondi Junction inquest hearsBy Courtney Barrett PetersTopic:Courts47m ago47 minutes agoMon 12 May 2025 at 5:33amA nurse, known as RN2, who treated Joel Cauchi at a clinic in Queensland gave evidence at the inquest on Monday. (Supplied: Coroners Court of New South Wales)In short:A nurse who treated killer Joel Cauchi while he was still medicated for schizophrenia told the Bondi Junction inquest she had a "visceral response" when she heard about his stabbing frenzy.The nurse, known as RN2, also said his behaviour was "incongruent of what I know of Joel".What's next?The inquest continues and is expected to run until Friday, May 30.abc.net.au/news/bondi-junction-westfield-inquest-nurse-joe-cauchi/105266992Link copiedShareShare articleA nurse who treated Joel Cauchi while he was still medicated for his schizophrenia said she "vomited" when she heard he was responsible for the Bondi Junction Westfield stabbing attack.The mental health nurse monitored Cauchi while he was taking antipsychotic medication for his treatment-resistant schizophrenia at a clinic in regional Queensland between August 2015 and October 2017.WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.Cauchi grew up in Toowoomba, Queensland, but at the time of the attack was experiencing homelessness in Sydney, the court heard.On Monday, the coronial inquest into the mass stabbing heard Cauchi had been attending the practice monthly for almost a decade, until he was discharged when he moved to Brisbane in March 2020.Six people were killed when Joel Cauchi went on a stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction in April, 2024. (ABC News: Monish Nand)He was then referred back to his general practitioner and did not continue receiving psychiatric care.If you or anyone you know needs help:Lifeline on 131 114Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800Beyond Blue on 1300 224 63613 YARN on 13 92 76Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978Headspace on 1800 650 890ReachOutSANE on 1800 187 263Call triple-0 if you need immediate careThe nurse, known as RN2, told the court she "vomited", was "incredibly shocked" and had a "visceral response" when she learned Cauchi had fatally stabbed six people inside the shopping centre on April 13, 2024."It's odd because it's incongruent of what I know of Joel," she said."It really doesn't make any sense."The court heard he was weaned off antipsychotic medication entirely in June 2018, and later stopped taking his prescription used to treat his obsessive-compulsive disorder.RN2 told the court she had never heard of a patient being weaned off the psychotropic medication Cauchi was taking completely, without it being replaced by another.Nurse denies Cauchi showed predisposition to violenceDuring the time he was treated by RN2, the dose of his schizophrenia medication was being gradually reduced.Clinical notes presented to the court reported that Cauchi was feeling "significantly better" and saw a reduction in cognitive side effects from the medication over months.The nurse described him as being "very conscientious in regard to his mental health"."I thought he was relatively insightful and he was also concerned about his illness," she said."He was quite diligent and monitoring signs of relapse, he didn't want to get unwell … He had anxiety around it."He wanted to get the support and make sure he did the right thing."'Life hasn't been the same since': Aftermath of Bondi stabbingPhoto shows Emergency services at Westfield Bondi Junction after multiple people were killedA series of warnings are all being considered "missed opportunities" in the Bondi Junction stabbing.The nurse stopped treating Cauchi when she resigned from the practice in 2017 but later returned and was no longer clinically treating the man.In February 2020, his mother Michele Cauchi called the clinic expressing concerns about her son's behaviour.Ms Cauchi told the nurse she was worried her son became "irritable" when she mentioned that his unit was untidy, and that she was concerned he would become homeless if he moved to Brisbane.The nurse conceded this was "potentially" an early warning sign of relapse and denied he had shown any predisposition to violence.She said when she told Cauchi's psychiatrist about the conversation with his mother, the doctor "noted it, but didn't appear overly concerned".Another nurse recommended Cauchi resume medicationThe inquest later heard from a second mental health nurse who treated Cauchi at the same practice from January 2018 until he was discharged.The woman, referred to in court as RN3, recalled the former patient suffering insomnia after stopping medication for schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.In November 2019, Cauchi emailed the health clinic asking if his psychiatrist had "some ideas for a porn-free phone and other devices".The following day, Ms Cauchi also sent his psychiatrist an email concerned about her son's mental health.She said Cauchi was leaving an "excessive" number of notes around the house, believing he was under "satanic control.""He isn't doing very well since going off [medication] and I know you thought that it wasn't having any effect but I have noticed a gradual decline in his condition," his mother wrote."I would like to see him being able to successfully live independently and be doing as well as he was a year ago when he first moved out of home."When RN3 was asked if it appeared the man was hearing voices at the time, she agreed.Shortly after, the nurse spoke to Cauchi recommending that he resume taking medication for obsessive-compulsive disorder.Patient records revealed Cauchi's father was "adamant that he did not want his son to go on medication as it will kill him"."[His] father spoke that he himself had been traumatised by demons when awake and hears voices and is not on medication", the nurse wrote.The inquest is expected to run until Friday, May 30.Posted 47m ago47 minutes agoMon 12 May 2025 at 5:33am, updated 14m ago14 minutes agoMon 12 May 2025 at 6:06amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)If you need someone to talk to, call:Lifeline on 13 11 14Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36Headspace on 1800 650 890QLife on 1800 184 527Top StoriesNationals to give 'stability and strength' to the Coalition after Littleproud re-electedLIVEPhoto shows David Littleproud, flanked by Kevin Hogan and Bridget McKenzieRowland to become attorney-general on Albanese's new-look frontbenchTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Anthony Albanese waves 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