Paul Thijssen carefully planned his brutal attack, making several dry runs before he murdered the St Andrew’s Cathedral School sports coach, an inquest has heard.
Paul Thijssen carefully planned his brutal attack, making several dry runs before he murdered the St Andrew’s Cathedral School sports coach, an inquest has heard.
By Jordan Baker
March 18, 2025 — 10.09am
In the days after Lilie James broke up with Paul Thijssen – in the days before he killed the 21-year-old with a hammer – Thijssen stalked her and rehearsed her murder.
An inquest into the deaths of James and Thijssen, who threw himself off a cliff hours after he killed the 21-year-old university student, began on Tuesday. Counsel assisting the NSW Coroner, Jennifer Single SC, told the inquest the killing was calculated.
James died in October 2023 at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, at which they both worked as sports coaches, when Thijssen followed James into a bathroom next to the gym.
Single said they had a brief relationship, which James ended days before her death. “In the days after [she broke up with him] … the evidence indicates that Paul stalked Lilie, Paul carefully planned his attack, and that in the hours before the attack, he rehearsed the attack, making a number of dry runs,” she says.
“The preparation was calculated. It was not a momentary loss of control. It was a premeditated killing.”
Single told the inquest, which began on Tuesday, that the “extraordinarily thorough and comprehensive police investigation” was mostly based on other people’s accounts, as there was limited communications between the two.
Thijssen had two phones, one of which was found in his backpack. The other is missing, as it appears “Paul disposed of his usual phone, and Lilie’s phone, possibly taking them with him over the cliff at Diamond Bay”, Single said.
Many of their messages were also sent via the Snapchat App, which automatically deletes messages. “As a result we only have limited messages between the two,” said Single.
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James’ parents, Jamie and Peta, attended the inquest. Thijssen’s Netherlands-based parents did not, and sent representatives in their stead.
However, the Thijssens were in touch with lawyers assisting the coroner, and have told them about evidence they had gathered “which showed how Paul’s life derailed over the last two years of his life”, Single said. However, they were not represented at the inquest and did not wish to put this information before the coroner.
James was a water polo coach at St Andrew’s, living with her family in Sydney’s south and studying at university. “She lived a very full life,” says Single. “A friend stated, ‘it seemed she could do anything’.” Her friends described her as confident, calm, engaging and caring.
Thijssen was 23. He was born in the Netherlands, and was the only child of Esther, a business executive, and Stefan, who runs a music festival. He moved with them to Australia between 2015 and 2017, when he became sports captain and prefect at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.
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After studying in the Netherlands, he moved back to Australia and met James while working at St Andrew’s as a cricket coach.
If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.
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Jordan Baker is Chief Reporter of The Sydney Morning Herald. She was previously Education Editor.Connect via Twitter or email.
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