Inquest to start into Sydney siege

An inquest into the deadly Sydney cafe siege will begin on January 29 in a NSW Coroner's Court.

A hostage runs from the Lindt Chocolat cafe in Martin Place

A hostage runs from the Lindt Chocolat cafe in Martin Place, Sydney, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. Five hostages have fled from a cafe in central Sydney where an unknown number of people are being held hostage. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING

An inquest into the Lindt Cafe siege that left two hostages dead will begin at the end of the month.

The inquest will open on January 29, a spokesman for the NSW Coroner's Court confirmed.

Extremist Man Horan Monis held 18 people captive in the Martin Place cafe in mid-December for more than 16 hours before police stormed in.

Barrister and mother of three Katrina Dawson and cafe manager Tori Johnson both died in the siege.

The inquest's opening day won't hear from any witnesses but will outline the issues it will delve into.

"The aim of the inquest will be to determine how the deaths occurred, the factors that contributed to them and whether they could have been prevented," the spokesperson said on Wednesday.

State Coroner Michael Barnes will also determine who will participate in the inquest, including lawyers representing victims and police officers.

The venue for the inquest is yet to be decided.

The announcement comes amid Fairfax Media reports Ms Dawson, 38, was struck by a police bullet when officers shot it out with Monis, who also died during the fiery conclusion to the hostage crisis.

The police investigation into the incident reportedly reveals Ms Dawson was struck by police fire that was not a direct shot and possibly a ricochet, when Tactical Operations Unit officers stormed the cafe in the early hours of December 16.

Last week NSW Premier Mike Baird said a permanent memorial to those involved in the siege would be unveiled in the second half of 2015.


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Source: AAP


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