Sydney knifeman’s secret life as sex escort for men and women
THE crazed knifeman who went on a stabbing spree at a Sydney shopping mall had a history of mental illness and advertised his services as a male escort, it emerged yesterday.
Australian police revealed that drifter Joel Cauchi, 40, was behind the attacks that killed six people and wounded 12 others, including a nine-month-old baby who is fighting for her life.
Cauchi ordered a take-away curry from a food shop in the multi- storey shopping centre on Saturday, a mile from Bondi Beach, before going on the rampage with a long hunting knife.
Five of his six victims were women, including the 25-year-old daughter of a well-known millionaire businessman, who was makeup shopping for her upcoming wedding.
Cauchi’s reign of terror ended when he was shot dead by Police Inspector Amy Scott, who showed no concern for her own safety as she ran after him, ordering him to ‘drop the knife’.
When he ignored this and lunged towards her, the ‘hero cop’ had no alternative but to fire, killing him instantly with a single bullet to the chest. Last night she was praised by
‘Our son’s actions were truly horrific’
the killer’s own family, who said they had been estranged from him for several years.
On social media, Cauchi described himself as a surfing enthusiast who had worked as an English tutor.
He had previously listed himself on male escort websites, including Australia Cracker, Empire Escorts and Escorts Australia. On these sites, he said he was ‘athletic’, ‘goodlooking’ and after a ‘fun time’, and offered dozens of graphic ‘closed-door services’. The killer had also advertised himself to women.
Cauchi had recently moved from Queensland to Sydney, but he appears to have been short of money. He had been sleeping in his car and in a small storage shed.
Known to have a knife obsession, the killer had also been treated for schizophrenia. His family said in a statement: ‘Joel’s actions were truly horrific and we are still trying to comprehend what has happened. He has battled with mental health issues since he was a teenager. We have no issues with the police officer who shot our son. She was doing her job to protect others, and we hope she is coping alright.’
Among the victims was Ashlee Good, 38, whose nine-month-old daughter was stabbed in her pram. Bleeding heavily from being knifed herself, Ms Good thrust her baby into the arms of two strangers, begging them to look after the child as she collapsed. Her daughter Harriet is in ‘serious but stable condition’ following surgery.
dawn Singleton, 25, the daughter of millionaire advertising guru John Singleton, had just bought her wedding dress before she was killed. Her distraught fiancé Ashley Wildey was said to be among the officers called to the scene.
Her friend Jade O’Connor wrote on social media: ‘I should be writing your wedding speech. Instead I sit here sobbing.’
Mother-of-two Jade Young, 47, and Georgian artist Pikria darchia, 55, were also victims. The male victim was Faraz Tahir, 30, a security guard at the shopping centre, from Pakistan.
In a display of bravery, one man, Silas despreaux, held the killer back on an escalator with an advertising bollard. Speaking after the attack, he said: ‘I’m no hero – I’m just an ordinary guy.’