The judge presiding over the murder case of David Harold Eastman had seen up to five mental health reports on the convicted killer before his trial, according to a former senior court officer.
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And a court has heard that the trial judge, justice Ken Carruthers, feared for his personal safety because of Eastman, and asked for an additional psychiatrist's report before the 1995 trial to help him deal with his "escalating behaviour".
An inquiry is looking at the conviction of Eastman for the 1989 killing of ACT police chief Colin Winchester, who was shot dead in his neighbour's driveway as he returned home one night.
The inquiry was ordered because fresh doubt was raised about Eastman's guilt.
The board of inquiry, presided over by Acting Justice Brian Martin, is exploring the circulation of psychiatric reports on Eastman to court staff before his trial.
It is trying to determine, among other things, whether his trial judge possessed the psychiatric reports compiled by forensic psychiatrist Rod Milton, and whether that may have led to "apprehended bias".
The reports contained information suggesting the trial judge Chief Justice Jeffrey Miles was at ''significant risk'' of a homicidal attack by Eastman. The information may have created a perception of bias, if given to Justice Carruthers before the trial.
On Thursday morning, former deputy registrar Jill Circosta gave evidence about seeing Justice Carruthers in possession of up to five Milton reports.
She said she saw the reports on the judge's desk before the trial.
Ms Circosta said she has never before given evidence of seeing the Milton reports on Justice Carruthers' desk.
That is despite being a solicitor in the last inquiry into the Eastman case, the 2005 Miles inquiry, which looked at issues around his fitness to plead.
The Miles inquiry was working under the impression that Justice Carruthers had not been in possession of the Milton reports.
Ms Circosta could offer no memory or reason to explain why she had not told that inquiry about seeing the reports on Carruthers' desk.
Earlier this month, lawyers for justice Carruthers had attempted to have some of the evidence about the Milton reports ruled as inadmissable in the current inquiry.
Ms Circosta said justice Carruthers had become increasingly concerned for his safety in the lead-up to the trial.
She said she had been asked to obtain a further report from Dr Milton to help justice Carruthers deal with Eastman's escalating behaviour, both inside and outside of court.
The inquiry has been adjourned until later this month.
