Man accused of Home Hill backpacker murders has charges dropped

HOME Hill hostel murderer Smail Ayad will never face trial for the stabbing deaths of two backpackers in a northern Queensland hostel after the Frenchman was found to be of “unsound mind”.

HOME Hill hostel murderer Smail Ayad will never face trial after being found of “unsound mind”, having symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia a month before his frenzied attack.

Psychiatrists who treated French national Ayad, 30, told the Mental Health Court in Brisbane of his delusions that people – including farmers, backpackers and the owner of the hostel where he was staying – wanted to kill him.

Ayad took British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung from her bed and stabbed her to death and then critically injured Tom Jackson who came to her aid in August 2016.

Mr Jackson later died in hospital.

Smail Ayad was charged over the stabbing Murder Mia Ayliffe-Chung and the death of Tom Jackson at a hostel complex in Home Hill.

The Park Centre for Mental Health Treatment director Dr Angela Voita told the court Ayad suffered from paranoid delusions and misinterpreted interactions with people in the lead up to the attack.

“Based on the information that had been obtained as to the length of time that he actually suffered psychotic symptoms, it seemed to pre-date at least a month prior to the alleged offences,” she said.

As part of his delusions, Ayad believed there were up to 50 farmers plotting to kill him.

He also believed backpackers were involved in the nonexistent murder plot, with his paranoia going back about six weeks.

The court heard Ayad had planned to leave the hostel in Home Hill a day before the attack, because of the plan to get him, but chose not to because he thought he would die.

On the day he planned to leave, Ayad thought he saw a farmer outside the hostel on a telephone, as well as another man with him who had an industrial-sized pizza oven on a trailer.

Police forensic officers investigate outside the rooms where the stabbings took place, the day after Mia Ayliffe-Chung was stabbed to death. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Ayad believed the pizza oven could fit his body inside and that he would be burnt to death.

On the night of the attack, Ayad had a conversation with the hostel owner, in which the owner told him: “You have to go upstairs”.

A delusional Ayad believed that meant he would die, and that “upstairs” referred to “going to Heaven”.

Before the frenzied attack he posted on Facebook about an “international conspiracy” to kill him.

Ayad started using cannabis at the age of 13 and had smoked up to four joints a day.

On the night of he murders he had smoked two puffs of a joint about 7pm that was being passed around a group of backpackers.

A Facebook photo of 21-year-old British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung who was violently murdered at Shelley's Backpackers in Home Hill near Townsville.

He had smoked a joint with Mr Jackson and believed he was involved in the plot.

Ms Voita said there was no evidence Ayad was acutely intoxicated by cannabis at the time and believed he was of unsound mind and suffered from a major mental illness, which was supported by other psychiatrists.

“The fact that he was very paranoid, he believed people were trying to kill him, he incorporated a number of the victims into his delusional ideas,” she said.

After stabbing Ms Ayliffe-Chung Ayad stabbed a caretaker at the hostel, jumped from a balcony and injured himself before attacking a dog at the hostel.

He then returned to where he left Ms Ayliffe-Chung and stabbed Mr Jackson who had come to her aid.

The court heard Ayad had now accepted he was responsible for their deaths.

He couldn’t remember attacking Ms Ayliffe-Chung but remembered stabbing Mr Jackson twice, according to some of the psychiatrist reports.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung’s mother Rosie Ayliffe sat in court along with Mr Jackson’s father Les, writing notes of the proceedings.

Ayad sat slightly slouched as he listened with the assistance of a French translator.

He nodded as victim impact statements were read out to him.

Shelley's Backpackers in Home Hill near Townsville. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Rosie Ayliffe broke down in tears remembering her daughter as full of life, laughter and fun.

She told the court she spent many sleepless thinking about her daughter’s last moments.

“Did she feel pain, did she know she was going?” Ms Ayliffe said.

She said she could no longer work as a teacher as it was a constant reminder of her girl.

“Nothing can undo what happened that night,” she said.

“However I only wish the person who has been charged with Mia’s murder, and his family, peace.

“Once that person comes to realise what they have done, their eternal suffering will be worse than anything that is imposed upon them.”

Ms Ayliffe said she was proud to have been her mother.

“And I will hold her in my heart until I die,” she said.

Les Jackson said his son had been nominated for bravery awards and six Australians had received life-saving donations from his son’s organs.

“As proud as that makes us, all of it means little in the face of what we have lost,” he said.

Justice Jean Dalton ruled Ayad was of unsound mind and that criminal proceedings should be discontinued.

She made a forensic order for him to be detained at the Park.

The court heard Ayad may be sent home to France at some time in the future.

Justice Dalton reserved her decision as to whether there would be a non-revocation period on the order.