Hostages terrorised by maniac

THE hostages felt such terror at the hands of the vicious maniac it amounted to torture.

NSW coroner Michael Barnes knew nothing he could say could ease the pain of the families of Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, the hostages killed in the Lindt Cafe siege.

His extensive findings, coming at the end of an “emotional and frustrating” inquest that threw up shock after shock, have done nothing to diminish their pain. “The pain deep in our hearts from losing Tori is as strong now as it was in December 2014,” Mr Johnson’s long-time partner Thomas Zinn said.

“Everybody who knew Tori would agree that we lost a guardian angel that night.”

Mr Johnson, the Lindt Cafe manager, was executed by Man Haron Monis.

Ms Dawson died after being hit by fragments of bullets fired by police in what Mr Barnes described as a terrible accident.

Flanked by Mr Johnson’s parents Rosie Connellan and Ken Johnson, Mr Zinn said they could not have imagined two-and-a-half years ago what would be revealed in the “very long, emotional and frustrating” inquest.