Lilie James was a 21 12 months previous lady who was a scholar and was additionally working as a water polo coach at St Andrew’s Cathedral Faculty in Sydney, Australia. She was murdered in October 2023.
Her killer was Paul Thijssen, a 24 12 months previous who additionally labored on the faculty. That they had been relationship for a couple of weeks previous to Lilie’s homicide however had damaged up.
Lilie was born in Could 2002. Her mother and father are Jamie and Peta James, and she or he has a brother named Max. The household dwell in Sans Souci, New South Wales – a suburb in Southern Sydney.
Lilie attended the Danebank Anglican Faculty for Ladies in Hurstville and she or he graduated from there in 2020. Lilie was a champion swimmer and she or he received many occasions.
She went on to check a Bachelor of Administration in sports activities enterprise on the College of Expertise, Sydney in 2021 (Olivia went to that uni). Lilie was employed by St Andrew’s Cathedral Faculty because the water polo coach whereas she was nonetheless learning.
St Andrew’s is an Anglican faculty, catering to kids from Kindergarten to 12 months 12. There are round 1450 college students on the faculty.
Paul was born within the Netherlands in November 1999 to folks Esther and Stefan Thijssen. He was their solely little one. The household lived within the Netherlands for the primary 15 years of Paul’s life. They then moved to Sydney in 2015 and Paul enrolled at St Andrew’s Cathedral Faculty, getting into 12 months/Grade 10.
After he graduated from St Andrew’s, he went again to the Netherlands to attend college. He returned to Sydney in 2020 and acquired a job as a sports activities assistant.
He returned once more to the Netherlands in July 2021 to finish his research and on the time was in a relationship with one other younger Australian woman – Freya – who stayed behind.
Freya has since spoken about how Paul was controlling.
Counsel aiding Jennifer Single SC would inform the court docket after Lilie’s dying “Early on of their relationship, Paul needed Freya to share her iPhone location with him.’
“She was unwilling to do that, however agreed. She often turned it off, and she or he says Paul would ‘blow up’ at her about this.”
Freya made a booklet for Paul to rejoice their four-month anniversary – she titled it’ Paul and Freya’s week.’
Freya has stated that she discovered the connection suffocating. After they had been aside, Paul would ship her undesirable meals by way of UberEats. Freya as soon as modified her social media profile pic to 1 with out Paul and he known as her, livid.
She was so involved by his actions that she blocked him on social media, however he hacked into her social media account.
He then confirmed up unannounced at her church.
Whereas sitting in a park, Freya advised him she was breaking off their relationship, prompting Paul to punch a tree.
The court docket was later advised that when requested why he struck out, he responded: “As a result of I can’t punch the one factor I wish to.”
Over the following two days, Paul was seen outdoors Freya’s home – together with when she caught him peering inside at 6.25am.
Freya’s father threatened to take out an AVO in opposition to him and warned him to remain away.
Paul returned to Sydney once more in 2023. He advised his mother and father that he was learning a Masters of Instructing at Sydney College.
His mother and father had agreed to pay his tuition – nevertheless his plans to check had been a lie. He additionally lied to his mates and pretended he was learning and doing ‘uni work.’ Police would later examine and located that there was no file of enrollment for Paul at any college in Sydney.
Paul additionally cast a letter of reference from St Andrew’s Cathedral faculty which was supplied to the Division of Residence Affairs when making use of to increase his working vacation visa.
The letter exaggerated how lengthy he had labored on the faculty in addition to his duties. in addition to an after-hours coordinator.
Paul had returned to Australia a number of occasions and every time he had been granted a working vacation visa. This may solely be granted to a person thrice. On the time of the homicide, he was on his third and final visa.
Lilie and Paul met by way of their employment at St Andrews. They started relationship in mid-late August 2023.
Lilie ended their relationship on Friday, October 20, 2023. After Lilie advised Paul that she needed to interrupt up, he requested in the event that they may very well be ‘mates with advantages’, and she or he stated no.
On Saturday, October 21, the day after Lilie broke up with him, he rented a automobile from GoGet and drove to her home. He drove to the property between 9.55pm and 10.55pm. Police would later discover images taken that night time on his cellphone.
They included images of vehicles parked outdoors the James household house – some with notations corresponding to “Outdoors home w/brothers automobile” and “Brothers automobile” and “Automobile one on different aspect”.
Over the following 4 days, he would stalk Lilie on a complete of seven events.
On Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at round 7pm, Lilie was within the toilet on the St Andrew’s Faculty. She was getting dressed as she had simply completed teaching water polo and was getting ready for a recreation of her personal.
Paul entered the varsity, armed with a hammer. He may very well be seen on CCTV getting into the identical toilet facility as Lilie. He brutally attacked her. An post-mortem would present that she was struck within the head and neck not less than 25 occasions. When her physique was discovered, her hair was so bloodied that authorities believed she had black hair.
Paul stayed within the toilet for one hour and 12 minutes. He then left the varsity and drove his rental automobile to Diamond Bay Reserve in Vaucluse.
He arrived in that space at 8.47pm. He disposed of the hammer in a bin. Round this time, he transferred $9,100 to each of his flatmates with the notation “6 months hire”.
At 11.15pm he acquired out of his automobile and walked to the reserve with a backpack over his shoulder and 33 minutes later he known as 000.
Paul was described as being “calm, virtually impassive” in the course of the name.
He advised the operator the place Lilie may very well be discovered on the faculty. “Once you go into the sports activities space, which is if you enter faculty by the reception on the left,” he stated.
“And the toilet’s then on the proper within the sports activities space. It’s the primary door on the proper.”
At one level the operator requested when he was on the faculty, Paul stated: “Um, I don’t bear in mind.”
Requested his title, he says: “I’d fairly not disclose.
Earlier than he ended the decision, Paul stated: “I believe somebody ought to simply go in there earlier than individuals arrive within the morning. Thanks.”
He returned to his automobile, the place he sat for 10 minutes earlier than getting and going into the reserve the place he killed himself by leaping from the cliff.
CCTV confirmed police arriving on the scene at 12.02am – simply three minutes after Paul acquired out of his automobile and walked off by no means to be seen alive once more.
Police discovered a few of Paul’s belongings on the reserve. Scattered amongst a few of his garments and a backpack was a handwritten set of “vouchers” which had been affectionately given to him by Freya, two years earlier. The booklet that Freya had made for the anniversary was additionally discovered.
Police discovered Lilie’s physique simply earlier than midnight on October 25. The next day at 4.30am, the varsity emailed all mother and father and stated that the power could be closed for the remainder of the week as a result of a ‘vital incident.’ A second textual content message was despatched at 6:30 a.m. to guarantee mother and father that no college students had been concerned within the incident.
Lilie’s physique was recognized by a pal of her household at round 10.30am that morning. Paul was recognized as being the primary suspect at 11.40am.
On October 30, 2023, it emerged that Paul had despatched texts to Lilie’s father from her cellphone, asking him to select her up on the faculty. Criminologist Xanthe Mallett speculated that the Paul’s for sending these texts was both to make sure that Lilie’s physique could be discovered or to doubtlessly alter the time at which the police believed she had died.
Paul’s physique was discovered on rock beneath the Diamond Bay Reserve at 8am on October 27, 2023. He was recognized utilizing fingerprints.
Lilie’s household made a press release on this present day.
“She was vibrant, outgoing, and really a lot cherished by her household and mates. We’re tremendously grateful for the help of our neighborhood at this troublesome time. As a police investigation is underway, we won’t be offering additional feedback.”
Lilie’s funeral was held at her former faculty, Danebank, on November 17, 2023.
“As we speak we’re celebrating the lifetime of Lilie James. Today is all about her,” her father, Jamie James, stated in a press release. “She was an unbiased, vibrant younger lady who was at all times on the go and lived every day to the fullest.”
“On high of working and learning, Lilie cherished teaching and taking part in water polo,” the household’s assertion stated.
“She cherished to bop. Even together with her busy schedule she at all times nonetheless made time to help her brother Max, her mates and her household.
“We can not thank the neighborhood sufficient for his or her ideas, prayers, generosity and messages by this troublesome time. From the underside of our hearts we thanks for the various nice recollections all of us share of Lilie.
“Lilie James, we’re so happy with you, and thanks for sharing a beautiful and jam-packed 21 and a half years collectively.”
Lilie’s family and friends all wore brilliant colors and carried flowers.
Paul’s household determined to not repatriate his physique to the Netherlands. That they had him cremated and scattered his ashes in Sydney.
An inquest into Lilie’s dying was held in 2025.
Counsel aiding Jennifer Single SC advised the court docket that Paul’s mother and father had advised the counsel aiding staff that they’d proof of how his life had “derailed” within the two years previous his dying.
Nevertheless, they declined to supply that proof to the court docket.
His mother and father, who dwell within the Netherlands, weren’t current in the course of the inquest.
There was no proof Paul suffered from any vital psychological well being situation or persona dysfunction, the court docket heard.
“The occasion which triggered an escalation in Paul’s behaviour was Lilie’s determination to finish the connection,” Ms Single advised the court docket.
“Following which, Paul began to stalk Lilie and plan his assault.”
Jennifer Single stated Lilie’s homicide was calculated. “The preparation was calculated. It was not a momentary lack of management. It was a premeditated killing,” she stated.
There was proof Paul had stalked Lilie and rehearsed her homicide, together with by performing a number of “dry runs”, the counsel aiding stated.
“Within the days after [she broke up with him] … the proof signifies that Paul stalked Lilie, Paul rigorously deliberate his assault, and that within the hours earlier than the assault, he rehearsed the assault, making a variety of dry runs,” Jennifer stated.
The court docket was proven “chilling and disturbing” CCTV footage of Paul practising – a number of occasions – aggressively getting into totally different bogs earlier than choosing the place he would stage his assault.
He was proven lunging into two totally different bogs, exiting and attempting once more – earlier than deciding to assault Lilie in a disabled toilet on the faculty.
He positioned a “cleansing in progress” check in entrance of one of many bogs so Lilie was “compelled” into his most popular rest room, the court docket was advised.
Jennifer stated police imagine Paul had earlier within the day travelled again to his house and picked up a hammer from a roommate’s toolbox and used it to kill Lilie. He had bought a separate hammer from Mitre 10 (ironmongery store) days earlier, however didn’t find yourself utilizing it in his assault.
It was additionally revealed that when Paul went to Vaucluse, he additionally took Lilie’s cellphone. It’s assumed he threw each his and her telephones over the cliff.
The court docket was additionally proven CCTV of an argument that occurred within the days earlier than Lilie’s homicide. The argument lasted for about 5 minutes and Paul may very well be seen shoving Lilie and cornering her aggressively.
The court docket additionally stated that Paul appeared ‘careworn’ on the day following the argument. Lilie was at a celebration and one in every of her ex’s was additionally there. Paul had been checking her location by way of Snapchat and appeared ‘aggravated and bitter’ that night time.
Lilie advised her ex on the occasion that “she didn’t really feel protected with [Thijssen] and a bit weirded out by him”.
Paul sat outdoors the occasion venue for over an hour till Lilie got here out and he dropped her house.
The court docket additionally heard that Paul confirmed his mates an intimate photograph that Lilie had despatched him, with out her consent. It’s alleged that he did this in an try to “reassert management” and out of a “sense of sexual entitlement to her”.
The inquest was advised Paul had a “fragile sense of self”, with forensic psychologist Kate Seidler saying he felt insufficient and unworthy: “He lined that up by projecting a picture of perfection … of getting all of it collectively.”
It was revealed in the course of the inquest that in October 2023 that Paul had created a Snapchat account with the username: “Maddie1999xx”.
And whereas the account bore the title of a lady, data obtained by police confirmed that the account was linked to his quantity.
The account was seemingly named after a lady who Paul was chatting with on the time.
That day he despatched the woman a message, asking if she needed to fulfill up the following day – and she or he had no concept that Paul was relationship Lilie
Earlier than she was killed, Lilie found the account after it was proven to her as a recommended contact.
The account was underneath the opposite woman’s title however confirmed a recommended contact of “Paul”.
Lilie advised a pal that she had confronted Pau concerning the account.
The pal stated she additionally had a dialog with Paul about it earlier than he claimed “I’ve a stalker” and “that’s so bizarre”.
The girl later stated: “I used to be satisfied it was Paul and I advised him this, to which Paul responded, ‘No, why would I try this?’”
Paul later got here again into the varsity health club and he had stated that he had known as and confronted the opposite woman, whose title was on the account.
Paul claimed that she was “crying” and stated “she made the account to see what Lilie regarded like”.
However Paul had created the account and when the woman was interviewed by police, she stated she had no information of it.
SOURCE LIST
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lilie_James
