Man who aimed gun at Tenterfield police had intent to die, inquest told

Mr Selby was shot dead after aiming a scoped rifle at police around 5.40pm, which police later learned was an air rifle that was not loaded.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Andrew Ellis gave testimony on Thursday, May 30, via audio-visual link to the Armidale Courthouse, which concluded the formal evidence gathering in the week-long inquest.

Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes and those in the court also heard emotional family statements from Mr Selby's wife and his brother, David.

"I did not ever think he would show the police his slug gun to provoke the police - that he would be walking to his own death. In the end Corey died by his own hand and I accept that," Mrs Selby said from the witness stand.

"He gave us so much happiness with his presence, he gave me my two precious children ... we are now trying to figure out how to navigate our lives without him."

Mrs Selby, who gave her statement holding a teddy bear containing Mr Selby's ashes said she hoped the outcome of the inquest would be more support for regional health.

"Those that loved Corey want change so that others don't have to feel like we feel," she said.

Dr Ellis had earlier told the inquest that Mr Selby was enduring compounded hardships of depression, chronic pain and an alcohol abuse disorder.

Dr Ellis filed a report with his testimony based on reports from family and friends as well as a lengthy history of medical files from Mr Selby's GP and psychologists.

"There was a substantial amount of clinical information and observations of people that knew him, in this circumstance there was sufficient information to reach the diagnosis I have," Dr Ellis said.

Dr Ellis said that alcohol was a depressant and that depression "contributed to the experience of pain" and that Mr Selby was caught in a web of compounding conditions that he said likely added to a "deteriorating mental state" in the months leading up to his death.

Mr Selby suffered a back injury at work in 2008 and had lived in chronic pain since.

"It can be a chicken and egg argument, but the end result is you have three sources of psychic distress," Dr Ellis said.

"Someone feels depressed so they drink more and when that wears off they feel the pain more and you can have an interaction of all three things together, creating a problem greater than all three individually."

The court heard that Mr Selby had presented to Tenterfield Hospital in October of 2022 and had to be de-escalated by police and administered an anti-psychotic.

He was then treated over two days in Armidale before returning home.

Dr Ellis said Mr Selby had been given "adequate care" and suitable steps were taken to plan for his mental health including referrals to a drug and substance service and a pain management specialist.

Dr Ellis said the evidence was "weak" that Mr Selby had a personality disorder, but rather suggested he likely had a mood disorder.

"Personality disorders tend to improve over time, mood disorders tend to deteriorate over time, which is the pattern for Corey," he said.

Dr Ellis did note that Mr Selby had not been consulted by a specialist psychiatrist, which he said was an unfortunate "missed opportunity" following a resignation at the Armidale hospital and pandemic travel restrictions that prevented a visit from a locum psychiatrist based in Sydney.

Counsel assisting Jake Harris asked Dr Ellis if he believed Mr Selby had intended to carry out "what is colloquially called a suicide by cop".

Dr Ellis believed that was accurate.

"I think his mental state is one where he's intending suicide, he's got a morbid intention."

Both Dr Ellis and Mrs Selby said that Mr Selby must have been "ambivalent about his choice" in their separate statements, but both pointed to Mr Selby carrying out regular tasks like getting groceries for dinner and even calling the hospital to arrange future mental health visits.

"His interactions had seemed normal including meal planning and future care," Dr Ellis said.

"Suicidal intent is usually held in an ambivalent way - it waxes and wanes - it's a distressing state to be in."

A statement by Mr Selby's younger brother, David, was also read aloud, which described Mr Selby as a selfless, generous and keenly intellectual person.

"He was so much more than the tragic events in January 2023." David's statement concluded.

Submissions were made after the statements and Coroner Forbes will release her findings in a number of weeks.

Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732; National Elder Abuse 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374)