Chief sniper at Lindt Cafe siege to sue NSW police over psychological trauma

People run with there hands up from the Lindt Cafe, Martin Place during a hostage standoff on December 16, 2014. Photo / Getty

The chief sniper during the Lindt Cafe siege is suing the NSW Police, claiming he suffered psychological trauma due to the decisions made by his superiors during the event.

The officer, who can only be identified as Sierra 3-1, will allege he and his fellow officers were prevented from doing their jobs during the siege on December 15, 2014 in which 17 people were taken hostage.

Two of the hostages died, along with the gunman Man Haron Monis.

He also claims the lives of cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson could have been saved.

Katrina Dawson, 38, and Tori Johnson, 34, who were killed in the siege.

The Daily Telegraph reports the civil action, lodged in the NSW District Court on April 12, will be heard next year in a one-day hearing.

It follows another complaint he made to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commissioner that was dismissed, claiming senior officers perjured themselves at the initial inquest.

In a statement on Monday morning, a police spokesman said NSW Police was aware of the matter.

"As it is before the court it is inappropriate to comment at this time," he said.

In 2017, NSW Coroner Michael Barnes found police waited too long to enter the Lindt Cafe in an attempt to rescue the hostages from Monis.

Barnes found the commanders relied on "flawed advice" from negotiators that overestimated the chances of a peaceful resolution with the gunman.

He found that storming the cafe in a surprise attack would have been safer.

He said police should have stormed the cafe when Monis first fired his shotgun.

Barnes did, however, stress Man Haron Monis alone was responsible for the deaths and injuries at the Lindt Cafe siege, not police.