Stalker victim breaks down at inquest into death of Paul Lambert
THE survivor of a brutal attack by a man she had been dating for six weeks says she never thought it would happen to her. Angela Joy was stabbed 11 times and doused in petrol by Paul Lambert before police shot him dead.
NSW
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THE survivor of a near-fatal attack by a “charming” man she met on Tinder has broken down in court saying she never thought it would happen to her.
Serial stalker Paul Lambert, 36, was shot dead by police after he stabbed Dr Angela Jay 11 times and doused her with petrol before she escaped to her neighbour’s house.
“I never expected myself to be in that position nor did I really consider myself to be a victim at the time,” an emotional Dr Jay told the inquest into Lambert’s death in Coffs Harbour today.
The attack two years ago last week turned her into a passionate advocate against domestic violence and she won a Daily Telegraph Pride of Australia award along with the neighbour who saved her life.
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But the obstetrician and gynaecologist revealed the devastating impact the attack had on her.
“After everything that happened I basically felt like a murder victim for a while and I still do sometimes,” Dr Jay, 30, said.
“It’s just really weird that I didn’t die. I felt like I was supposed to.”
As Lambert’s mother Robyn Scales and his older sister listened in court, Dr Jay told how he had begged her not to end their six-week relationship, threatening suicide and bombarding her with texts and messages.
She tried to make the relationship work because she felt responsible for him.
“I felt it was my fault about how he was feeling and if he did kill himself it would be my fault,” she said.
Then he admitted he had breached court orders not to leave Queensland after being convicted of assaulting his ex-wife and that he had a history of stalking women and had been diagnosed with borderline personalty disorder.
The inquest has been told there were 10 AVOs taken out against him involving five women he met on dating sites and he had been deported from he USA after stalking a Florida TV presenter.
Giving an insight into domestic violence victims, she said she felt embarrassed about first reporting her fears to police but felt relieved when they took her seriously and didn’t laugh at her.
She said she now screens her patients to see if they have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault.
“A lot of women are getting stabbed to death and burned alive in Australia,” she said, wearing a white ribbon in court.
“Initially I got involved because I felt like I owed it to all women who had been murdered to be their voice.
“A lot of victims don’t realise they are victims at the time.”
She hailed her neighbour in Port Macquarie and the police has heroes.
Deputy state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan thanked Dr Jay for her courage in giving evidence.
“Your words have such power,” the coroner said.
The inquest continues.
