A New South Wales coroner has urged young people to consider their use of location-sharing technology after the "senseless" murder of Lilie James at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.
In delivering her findings on Thursday, State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan ruled the homicide was in the context of gendered and domestic violence.
Warning: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.
Ms James was killed by Paul Thijssen on October 25, 2023 in the bathroom of a gym at St Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney's CBD.
The 21-year-old's cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force injuries to her head and neck from a hammer.
[Map]Magistrate O'Sullivan said that Ms James ended the "brief relationship" with Thijssen, who she had worked alongside since that year.
"Lilie’s decision to end the relationship acted as a catalyst for a marked escalation in his controlling, abusive and coercive behaviours, culminating in the fatal violence," the magistrate said.
She said he proceeded to "physically stalk" Ms James on seven occasions in the days before her death and had "carefully planned his attack on Lilie".
"His preparation was calculated, this was not momentary loss of control," the magistrate said.
"It was a premeditated killing."
Afterwards, Thijssen drove to Vaucluse in Sydney's east where he called Triple Zero (000) to alert to Ms James's whereabouts before he "jumped or intentionally fell from a cliff in Diamond Bay Reserve … with the intention of ending his life".
When Thijssen could not be located, a search was undertaken, and his body was retrieved two days later.
The findings come after concurrent inquests into Ms James and Thijssen's deaths in March this year.
Magistrate O'Sullivan said the records were "incomplete" due to the deceased's use of Snapchat for communication, where messages disappear.
"I should acknowledge that my understanding of events, and in particular the relationship between Lilie and Paul, is primarily based on information provided by others which has not been tested," she added.
Thijssen also "disposed of his usual phone … and Lilie's phone", with the mobile found in his backpack not the one associated with his Australian number, the court heard.
The homicide weapon has never been retrieved.
A 'senseless and violent' death
Lilie Anne James was born in May 2002 and lived with her parents Peta and Jamie, and brother Max, who she had a "close and loving relationship" with, the court heard.
She attended Danebank Anglican School for Girls from kindergarten to Year 12, where she danced, played netball and water polo.
At the time of her death, she was studying for a bachelor of sports management at the University of Technology Sydney.
Ms James was simultaneously working full time as a sports assistant at the school, where she was "highly regarded within the school community", the court heard.
Speaking outside court, her father said "awareness, education and speaking up matters" when it came to gendered violence.
"Lilie had her life cut way too short and not a day goes by that we don't think of her, or wonder what we could have done to prevent this from happening," Jamie James said.
"Please, if it's been a while since you talked about violence or abuse about women, whether it's at home or work, or with friends or in the community, please start that conversation.
"Also, one important thing, please don't report on positive comments saying people are 'good blokes', men 'delightful' — it's not acceptable. It's disheartening and cruel."
Magistrate O'Sullivan described Ms James as a "gregarious, outgoing [person] surrounded by many friends" and her death was "senseless and violent".
She said there was an "alarming and persistent scourge of gendered and domestic violence in Australia".
"Lilie's death is not an isolated tragedy, it is part of a devastating pattern of violence against women that needs urgent and sustained action," the magistrate said.
"I urge more to be done through education, prevention and change … to protect women's lives."
Magistrate O'Sullivan expressed her condolences to both families, including Thijssen's parents in the Netherlands.
Focus on tech-facilitated violence
Magistrate O'Sullivan said evidence heard during the inquest by gendered violence experts pointed to behaviours "used to instil fear and control" and that there was "evidence of Paul behaving in a way that was coercive and controlling towards Lilie".
After ending the relationship, the court heard that Thijssen used "manipulative tactics to get the relationship to continue", including sharing intimate photos of Ms James to his friends.
Evidence also pointed to him creating a fake Snapchat account using the name of a woman he had met through hockey.
She said her recommendations would focus on how technology is used to enact control — a particular challenge for young people.
"Individuals [are] encouraged to actively consider the use of technology to share locations with others," she said.
"Paul frequently checked Lilie's location.
"The normalisation of [technology-facilitated abuse] in the community has been demonstrated by research … more than one in 10 think it is reasonable to expect to track a partner using location sharing apps.
"The evidence gathered as a result of this inquest has highlighted to me the urgent need for greater community awareness about the misuse of technology and the importance of individuals regularly reviewing their own technology practices, including location sharing."
The magistrate also called for more awareness as to what domestic violence looks like, and behaviour programs targeted at young men and boys.
"I'm acutely aware that both deaths have had a profound and lasting impact on all involved, causing shock and heartbreak," she said.
