Inquest opens into death of serial stalker Paul Lambert
PAUL Lambert was a serial stalker who charmed women on dating sites like Tinder. His trail of terror ended when he lunged at police with a knife after he tried to brutally kill girlfriend Dr Angela Jay, an inquest has heard.
NSW
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PAUL Lambert was a serial stalker who charmed women on dating sites like Tinder but had 10 apprehended violence orders taken out against him involving five victims.
The same year he exploded and tried to kill girlfriend Dr Angela Jay, he had been convicted of assaulting his ex-wife after signing divorce papers and was deported from the USA after stalking and threatening TV presenter Brittany Ann Kiel.
His trail of terror ended in November 2016 when he lunged at police with a knife screaming “What do I have to do to get you to shoot me?”, the inquest into his death at Coffs Harbour was told today.
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The inquest will also investigate how a string of system failures let the women and Lambert himself down.
All of his relationships ended with a pattern of aggression, threats and drama when the women tried to end them, counsel assisting Kristen Edwards said.
He would threaten to kill himself, tell the women he had terminal cancer or a brain tumour.
He met Dr Jay, a Port Macquarie obstetrician on Tinder in August 2016 but would not accept it when she tried to end the relationship as he became obsessive and controlling after two months.
Medical evidence after his death was that he had a borderline personality disorder and was hypersensitive to abandonment.
Three days before he stabbed her 11 times and doused her in petrol on November 3, Dr Jay had gone to Port Macquarie police station asking for advice.
The police computer system did not show that he had breached probation and a suspended sentence imposed in July for attacking his ex-wife.
The computer search did show Lambert had a history of mental health issues but the officer was not allowed to tell her about those for privacy reasons the inquest was told.
The same day he was pulled over in a rental car by police who discovered he had been banned from driving but again his other convictions did not show up. They had no power to confiscate his car keys.
In the boot of the car he had duct tape, a utility knife and a hatchet he had bought at Bunnings.
Lambert simply waited until they drove off before he got behind the wheel.
Rental car boss Lee Scott told the inquest they had no way of knowing if someone had been disqualified because banned drivers were allowed to physically keep their licence.
Firearms dealer Peter Long urged the coroner to make recommendations that licensed weapon dealers should be able to check whether someone has been subject to AVOs before selling them knives.
He had tried to talk Lambert out of buying a knife on October 31.
On November 3, Dr Jay had gone home to pack a bag and stay with a cousin when Lambert emerged from hiding in her wardrobe bare-chested and put a hand over her mouth.
He had laid out her underwear on her bed along with cable ties and doused the room and her with petrol.
He stabbed her before she escaped and ran to a neighbour’s house.
Police put out an alert for Lambert whose car was stopped with the use of road spikes at Bonville south of Coffs Harbour and he was shot when he threatened police.
The inquest before deputy state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan continues.