A patient was considered a high risk of violence two weeks before he murdered a Christchurch woman after absconding from a psychiatric hospital, an inquest has heard.
By Adam Burns of RNZ
Laisa Waka Tunidau was stabbed to death by Zakariye Mohamed Hussein outside her Sockburn home on 25 June 2022.
Hussein was jailed for life with a non-parole period of 13 years in November that year.
He had previously been jailed for more than six years for kidnapping, stabbing and intimidating people across Christchurch in March 2012.
At the time of Waka Tunidau's death, Hussein was allowed to leave Hillmorton on unescorted community leave, but failed to return when required.
More than 20 doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses who were part of Hussein's care were due to give evidence during the inquest.
A clinical psychologist who had six sessions with Hussein over May and June was asked about Hussein's level of assessed risk during the inquest's fifth day on Friday.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Stephanie Grieve KC, asked the witness - whose identity remains suppressed - about an adjustment of Hussein's profile at a multi-disciplinary team meeting on 13 June.
At the meeting, both Hussein's risk of violence and risk of unauthorised leave were recorded as high, although notes indicated that he was still deemed a low risk to the community.
"Now when would you have become aware of that?" Grieve asked.
The clinician said they would usually be told about a change at the next meeting, although they did not attend this.
"It should have been recorded in the MDT document for the day and the rationale as to why it was marked low, usually if we change we would record it.
"It would be recorded in the [document] to reflect the change, like why risk has gone from moderate to high or high to moderate, what's contributed to that change."
Mother of four Laisa Waka Tunidau was fatally stabbed outside her Sockburn home in 2022. (Source: 1News)
The risk was lowered back to medium seven days later, the court heard.
Details about Hussein's interactions with fellow patients and employees were also outlined during proceedings, including unwanted romantic advances towards staff.
In notes dated 10 June, the clinician had described Hussein as having "irritability and anger" under the surface of a relaxed demeanour.
Hussein was also described as irritable on the day he murdered Waka Tunidau.
The clinician said a patient who was presenting as irritable did not necessarily present a risk to the community.
"So you may see irritability, but you would start to become more concerned, for example, if they weren't following directions, or asserting negative attitudes and threats."
Another clinician, whose identity was also suppressed, was asked about the approach to Hussein's therapeutic risk given a string of incidents, including when he poured cordial on a fellow patient, along with recurring thoughts of violence.
The court heard that Hussein developed violent thoughts in response to a man coughing on a bus.
"Wasn't there [cases] where he was presumably unable to control himself because there are a number of these issues with peers and staff," Grieve said.
"Those things didn't give you pause to consider whether or not this therapeutic risk approach should continue?"
The clinician said the incidents were not serious enough to warrant further restrictions on his leave arrangements at Hillmorton.
Earlier this week, the inquest heard Hussein had left the hospital on 35 occasions and returned without incident between being granted leave in late April 2022 and the day of Waka Tunidau's murder.
Her family has questioned how he was ever assessed as safe enough to leave the hospital on his own.
The inquest is set to resume in November.
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