The New South Wales coroner has heard water polo coach Lillie James was stalked by her former partner before a premeditated killing at a Sydney school. Chilling CCTV footage has been played at an inquest into the 21-year-old's death showing Paul Tyson planning and practising his brutal attack.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Lily James' parents came to court for answers, but the coroner has told them the next three
00:08days will be difficult.
00:10Described as gregarious and outgoing, their daughter's life was cut short in horrific
00:15fashion in October 2023.
00:18She was found with significant head injuries in the gym toilet area of St Andrew's Cathedral
00:22School in Sydney.
00:24Council assisting the inquest said evidence will establish Paul Tyson killed Ms James
00:29with a hammer.
00:30It wasn't long after she'd ended a casual relationship with the 23-year-old.
00:36In the days after, the evidence indicates that Paul stalked Lily.
00:40Paul carefully planned his attack, and in the hours before the attack, he rehearsed
00:44his attack, making a number of dry runs.
00:47The preparation was calculated.
00:49It was not a momentary loss of control, it was a premeditated killing.
00:54His body was found at cliffs in Vaucluse, with the coroner to now determine when and
00:58why he decided to kill Ms James before ending his own life.
01:03The court heard he drove to her house in a hire car seven times in the days leading up
01:08to the attack, and on some occasions took photos of vehicles parked outside.
01:13On the day Ms James was killed, a colleague saw them sitting together.
01:17Paul was staring directly at Lily, and had a facial expression described as ice cold
01:22and angry.
01:24Virtually every movement Paul Tyson made that day at the school is captured on CCTV.
01:29In clips played to the court today, he's seen repeatedly entering different bathrooms, and
01:34the coroner was told he was practising his attack.
01:38It is chilling, disturbing footage.
01:40The court is due to hear of controlling behaviour in his previous relationships, with psychologists
01:45and domestic violence experts among the witnesses to be called.