Sydney knife killer's secret life as an escort: Joe Cauchi offered services in sex jobs before the shopping center massacre that left six dead and a nine-month-old child fighting for his life

• New details have emerged about the man behind Saturday's knife attack
• Cauchi's family sent “thoughts and prayers” to the families of his victims

It emerged the knifeman who carried out the Sydney shopping center massacre had a secret life as an escort offering sexual services to men and women online – with his family condemning the attack as “truly horrific”.

New details have emerged about Joe Cauchi, who murdered six people after Saturday's knife attack and left a nine-month-old baby fighting for her life.

The shoppers were killed in the attack on Bondi Junction's Westfield center in Sydney before Cauchi was shot dead by a heroic policewoman.

The 40-year-old stabber had previously posted himself on several male escort websites, including Australia Cracker, Empire Escorts and Escorts Australia.

In his online biography, Cauchi described himself as an “athletically handsome 39-year-old” who lives in Sydney and is looking for “fun” – offering dozens of “closed door services” that are too graphic to pass up to publish them.

After identifying Cauchi as the man behind Saturday's knife attack, Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cooke said he was known to police and was “clearly” suffering from mental health problems.

Mr Cooke said: “We know that shortly after his arrival in Sydney he took possession of a storage facility which has been identified.”

“We continue to work on profiling the perpetrator, but at this stage it seems very clear to us that this is linked to the mental health of the individual involved.”

His family have now released a statement through Queensland Police saying he had suffered from mental health issues “since his youth”.

The family said: “We are absolutely devastated by the traumatic events that occurred in Sydney yesterday.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims and those currently receiving treatment.”

“Joel's actions were truly horrific and we are still trying to understand what happened.” He has struggled with mental health issues since he was a teenager.

“We are in contact with both the New South Wales Police Force and the Queensland Police Service and have no issues with the police officer who shot our son as she was just doing her job to protect others and we hope so “That she's fine.”

According to his social media profiles, Cauchi grew up in Toowoomba and said he worked as an English teacher.

He was a keen surfer and just last week asked in a Facebook group in Sydney if anyone wanted to meet him to surf in Bondi.

In a share-hunting profile, Cauchi said he was looking for an apartment in Sydney's western suburbs in “Liverpool, Blacktown, Pendle Hill or Parramatta”.

He wrote: “I love meeting new people and seeing new interesting places!”

The new information emerged as police also updated on the condition of a nine-month-old girl who was seriously injured in the attack.

The infant was rushed to hospital in critical condition for emergency surgery last night.

A police spokesman said: “We expect baby Harriet to be stabilizing this morning.”

“We understand she has undergone surgery and remains in a serious but stable condition.”

Harriet's mother, Ash Good, 38, was among the victims of Cauchi's rampage.

Another victim was identified last night as the 25-year-old daughter of millionaire businessman John Singleton – Dawn Singleton, known to friends as Dawnie.

New South Wales Police Inspector Amy Scott has been praised for her bravery after stopping the horrific attack by shooting Cauchi.

As the first officer on the scene, Insp Scott sprinted through the top floor of the shopping complex, risking her life as she confronted the stabber who had also injured eight others.

She shot at the attacker, who was wearing a green rugby top, as he turned to her and raised his knife.

The senior police officer then performed CPR on the murderer and other victims lying on the ground while waiting for backup to arrive.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Prince and Princess of Wales praised Insp Scott's actions.

And Rishi Sunak said his “sympathies go out to those affected” by the “truly devastating” attack in Sydney.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said: “The horrific attacks in Bondi Junction are truly devastating.”

“My heart goes out to those affected by this abhorrent act of violence and I pray for the recovery of those injured and traumatized today.” “You are in the thoughts and prayers of the British people.”

Just hours before the horror unfolded, victim Ms Good – mother of nine-month-old Harriet – had posted a photo on Instagram holding her daughter.

The caption read: “Just because I walked by and happened to be wearing the same thing, 9 months outside and 9 months inside etc etc.”

A man has been hailed a hero for rushing to the aid of Ms Good and her baby as he told how he desperately worked to keep the child alive using shop clothes.

A witness interrupted a Nine News reporter at the scene in Bondi Junction, pointed to his brother and said: “He's a hero – he saved the baby.”

The obviously shaken man said he used clothes from a store to stop the baby's bleeding.

He said: “The baby was stabbed and, yes, the mother was stabbed.”

“The mother came over with the baby and threw it at me. 'I just helped by holding the baby and trying to compress it.'

The brothers stayed with their mother and called the emergency services.

The man's brother described the situation as “very bad” and added: “Lots of blood on the floor – I hope the baby is OK.”