How Lilie James’ murder exposed Sydney’s domestic violence shame

Lilie James’ brutal murder at the hands of an ex-lover shocked Sydney and sparked calls for more action on domestic violence. Unless we act now she will become another damning statistic.

Lilie James’ brutal murder at the hands of an ex-lover shocked Sydney and sparked calls for more action on domestic violence.

The situation in NSW is stark, with more than 16 women, men and children losing their lives this year alone.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb estimated 60 per cent of police time was spent responding to domestic violence-related incidents.

“Domestic violence, it feels like an epidemic,” Commissioner Webb said during the launch of The Telegraph’s Evil In Our Homes campaign in July.

“I don’t want my officers delivering death messages. I don’t want my officers time and time again responding to the same situations. I don’t want support systems working against each other.”

Lilie James was murdered by Paul Thijssen at St Andrew’s Cathedral School before the killer took his own life.

The state’s police are answering 140,000 calls a year to domestic violence issues – that’s about 400 a day.

In the 12 months to July there were 33,484 domestic violence cases and in the past five years 139 murders were linked to violence in the home.

That equates to almost 50 per cent of all murders in NSW being perpetrated by domestic violence offenders.

Those horrifying figures were also reflected in the The Telegraph’s Sydney Murder Map, which uncovered more than 120 domestic violence-related killings in recent decades.

These are some of the beautiful souls lost to domestic violence in Sydney over the decades and a reminder the fight against abuse is not just the responsibility of police.

Megan Kalajzich

Andrew Kalajzich hired hitman Bill Vandenberg to shoot his wife Megan in her sleep at their Fairlight home on January 27, 1986.

Two shots were also deliberately shot at Kalajzich’s pillow, who claimed he was able to roll out of the way.

Kalajzich paid Vandenberg $20,000 for the hit.

Kalajzich was sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole and was released in 2012.

Andrew Kalajzich after he was released from prison.

Andrew and Megan Kalajzich.

Lynette Dawson

Mother-of-two Lynette Dawson went missing from her family’s Bayview home and was never seen again.

Her husband, former Newton Jets star Chris Dawson, was found guilty of her murder 40 years later.

Dawson killed Lynette so he could be with his lover Joanne Curtis, a student at the school he taught at.

He was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in jail.

Chris and Lynnette Dawson on their wedding day.

Mary Seretis-Joiner

Patrick Joiner murdered his wife Mary Seretis-Joiner after an argument at a family wedding in Bundeena on October 8, 2000.

Her body was later found in the boot of her car, which had been abandoned in Redfern.

Joiner was sentenced to a maximum of 18 years jail.

Patrick Joiner and Mary Seretis-Joiner.

Kylie Labouchardiere

Kylie, a 23-year-old student nurse from the Central Coast, fell pregnant to police lover Paul Wilkinson.

Believing Wilkinson was leaving his wife for her, Kylie packed her bags and headed to Sydney to be with him in April 2004. She was never seen again.

Wilkinson was sentenced to 28 years in jail for her murder.

Kylie Labouchardiere.

Jazmin-Jean Ajbschitz

Sean King was high on ice when he hit, kicked and stomped on the chest of his girlfriend, Jazmin-Jean Ajbschitz, 18, until her heart stopped beating.

The brutal murder occured at Jazmin-Jean’s mum’s apartment in Ultimo on July 10, 2011.

The pair had met and a music festival, with friends and family questioning what Jazmin-Jean saw in King from the outset.

King was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in jail.

Jazmin-Jean Ajbschitz.

Sean King.

Frances Tizzone

John Serratore met up with girlfriend Frances Tizzone, 21, after she left Macquarie University on March 29, 1999. She was never seen alive again.

It’s believed she planned to end her turbulent relationship with Serratore.

Her body was found in Frenchs Forrest.

Serratore was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in jail.

Frances Tizzone.

John Serratore.

Christine Crickitt

Doctor Brian Crickitt injected his wife Christine, 61, with a lethal dose of insulin on New Year’s Eve 2009 before spending the rest of the evening with his lover.

Crickitt then turned up at the morgue a couple of days later holding hands with his lover who had arrived driving Christine’s car.

Crickitt was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in jail.

Brian and Christine Crickitt.

Jean Lennon

Hoss Majdalawi shot his estranged wife Jean Lennon, 37, five times on the steps of the Parramatta Family Law Court on March 21, 1996.

The pair were in a custody battle over their four children and Jean was running from Majdalawi when he produced the gun.

Majdalawi was sentenced to a maximum of 18 years in prison.

Jean Lennon.

Hoss Majdalawi.

Originally published as How Lilie James’ murder exposed Sydney’s domestic violence shame