The inquest heard that Cauchi was once a bright young man with a promising life ahead of him. Around the same time, Cauchi developed what Dr Boros-Lavack told the inquest was "a compulsive interest in porn". The inquest heard he began seeking a gun licence, contacting three Brisbane doctors for a medical certificate to support his application. By 2024 Cauchi's mental health had deteriorated, he was homeless, and isolated from his family. When questioned by the lawyer assisting the coroner, Dr Boros-Lavack stressed: "I did not fail in my care of Joel."