Lilie James' family described her as "vibrant and outgoing".

A young sports coach had already been dead for an hour when text messages were sent to her concerned father, suggesting she was in trouble.

The badly beaten body of water polo coach Lilie James was inside a gym bathroom at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney’s city centre before midnight on October 25, 2023.
While she was lying dead in a pool of blood after being bludgeoned to death by her ex-boyfriend Paul Thijssen, someone messaged the 21-year-old’s father, Jamie, from her phone.
Lilie James' family described her as "vibrant and outgoing".
An inquest into the death of Lilie James, a 21-year-old sports assistant bludgeoned to death by Paul Thijssen on the grounds of a Sydney private school, is examining the Dutchman’s history of stalking and controlling behaviour before the attack in October 2023.(9News / Supplied)

Single noted Lilie was happily interacting with Thijssen before her death and appeared to have no indication of what he would do.

“No matter how many times you see that footage, it is not easy to watch,” she said as her voice broke.

Security footage from earlier in the evening showed Thijssen alternating which hand held the hammer while practising the murder outside the bathroom.

He was observed deactivating the automatic sliding doors, which Single explained was to keep the school cleaners from interrupting his assault on Lilie.

In addition to investigating the events leading to the deaths of Lilie and Thijssen, the inquiry will look into coercive control and inappropriate conduct in relationships, aiming to avoid future tragedies.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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