Lindt Cafe siege inquest: Psychiatrist led police commander to believe Man Monis would surrender

THE mother of slain Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson has called a police commander giving evidence “an absolute disgrace” before charging out of the inquest into the fatal stand-off.

Tori Johnson’s mother Rosie Connellan walked out of the inquest into the Lindt siege today. Picture: Britta Campion/The Australian.

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THE mother of slain Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson has called a police commander giving evidence “an absolute disgrace” before charging out of the inquest into the fatal stand-off.

The forward commander in charge when officers stormed the cafe, who cannot be named, described the events of the December 2014 siege as a “high stakes games”, prompting the lawyer for the Johnson family to ask if he wanted to apologise.

“You are an absolute disgrace,” Tori’s mother Rosie Connellan said as she made a rapid exit from the inquest, and the officer accepted he had made a poor choice of words.

Lindt Cafe siege victim Tori Johnson at the window of the cafe. Hours later, he was shot dead by Monis. Picture: Channel 7

Tori Johnson’s mother Rosie Connellan in a past interview with Sunday Night. Picture: Channel 7

Earlier today, the psychiatrist involved during the Lindt siege gave evidence he thought gunman Man Monis was “posturing” to get “street cred” because he knew he was going to go to jail on accessory to murder charges.

The psychiatrist, whose name has been suppressed, led a police commander to form the view Monis would eventually surrender — just an hour before he murdered cafe manager Tori Johnson.

The detective chief superintendent, who was the head at the forward command post during the final hours of the 17-hour siege, said the psychiatrist’s advice was the siege was the “final posturing” by Monis to gain some “jail cred” or “street cred” to bolster his image when he went to jail.

Lindt Cafe gunman Man Haron Monis was killed by police after taking hostages at the Lindt Cafe. Picture: AAP/Dean Lewins

The psychiatrist signed off about 1am on December 16, 2014, because he believed things were settling down inside the cafe.

The forward commander said he had believed partly based on the psychiatrist’s advice they would get to the point where Monis would walk out of the cafe with his hands in the air and surrender.

Monis was facing charges of being an accessory before and after the murder of a woman and dozens of sexual assault charges when he took the 18 people hostage on December 15.

Lawyer Katrina Dawson was killed inside the cafe after being hit by fragments of police bullets.

Monis shot Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson dead, prompting police to storm the premises.

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Questioned by counsel assisting the inquest, Jeremy Gormly SC, the officer said he thought Monis might “quite possibly” fall asleep without meaning to.

Negotiators had only communicated with Monis though hostages but the officer said he thought if they could speak directly to him, they could bring the siege to a peaceful end.

Tori Johnson's mother Rosie at the floral memorial following his death. Picture: Adam Taylor

When the gunman fired his first shot after six hostages escaped at 2.03am on December 16, the officer decided the remaining hostages were not in enough imminent danger to justify police storming the cafe.

He waited until Monis shot dead Mr Johnson at 2.13am before ordering police into the cafe.

Barrister Katrina Dawson died after being hit by fragments of police bullets.

The inquest in Sydney continues.