Mia Ayliffe-Chung’s mother Rosie haunted by ‘horrific visions’ of daughter’s last moments

THE mother of slain young British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung said she is haunted by her daughter’s brutal final moments.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was 21 when she died.

THE mother of slain young British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung said she is haunted by horrific visions of her daughter’s brutal final moments as she prepares to farewell her on the Gold Coast.

Rosie Ayliffe arrived in Australia on Wednesday, ahead of her daughter Mia Ayliffe-Chung’s planned multi-faith funeral service on Friday.

The 21-year-old was stabbed to death at Shelley’s Backpackers in Home Hill, south of Townsville, nearly 10 days ago, allegedly by French national Smail Ayad, who police believe developed a romantic obsession with her.

Ms Ayliffe spoke with 7 News soon after her arrival on the Gold Coast on Wednesday and praised the bravery of Mia’s fellow British backpacker Tom Jackson, 30, who died in hospital a week after he unsuccessfully attempted to shield her from her attacker.

On the same day Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced she had nominated Mr Jackson for a posthumous bravery award, Ms Ayliffe also paid tribute to the slain backpacker’s bid to save her daughter’s life.

“He’s an incredible young man, there’s no two ways about it,” Ms Ayliffe said. “It was an act of exceptional bravery.”

Rosie Ayliffe, Mia Ayliffe-Chung’s mother, said she is haunted by visions of her daughter’s final moments.

Ms Ayliffe said she hoped to meet Mr Jackson’s family while they were in Australia.

His father Les flew out from the UK to be by his son’s bedside as he clung to life in Townsville Hospital and made the heartbreaking decision to turn his life support off on Tuesday.

In a daily column she is writing for UK news site The Independent, Ms Ayliffe described her close relationship with her daughter and said she continues to struggle with thoughts of her violent last moments.

“Mia and I, as a single mother and daughter combo, were almost umbilically linked,” she wrote.

“What of this new grief? How am I holding up on this interminable flight to retrieve her body? Well, not so well.

“ ... the least suggestion of pain and violence on the film I’m trying to watch brings horrific visions of Mia’s final moments into my head.

“I was told by the police that Mia was unconscious after the first blow, but my brain refuses to believe that, and instead it plays and replays that ugly scene for me until my whole being seems to be swelling up with grief.”

Mia had been doing farm work near Townsville when she died.

The 21-year-old backpacker wanted to stay in Australia.

She described the 21-year-old as, “no angel. Anyone who spent time with her before 11am can vouch for that” but said she was, “chatty, funny, the ultimate socialite” who “did not have a competitive bone in her body.

“She would rather lose a race than lose a friend,” she said.

Ms Ayliffe said her daughter had requested she come to Australia to visit her in their last conversation, which she had agreed to do.

“Now here I am,” she lamented. “I believe we will hold each other again one day, and that the many who are grieving for her now will be with her again one day too.

“We’ll meet her again one day, sooner or later, in our own bright places full of love.”

Ms Ayliffe said she pitied the man alleged to have slain both her daughter and Mr Jackson.

“I feel pity for him because he now has to live knowing that he has killed two beautiful, strong, exceptional people,” she said.

Tom Jackson died in hospital of stab wounds he received trying to protect Mia Ayliffe-Chung.

Funeral details for Mr Jackson are yet to be publicly revealed, however, in Queensland Parliament on Wednesday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she had nominated him for a bravery award.

“Tom Jackson’s actions of putting his own life before the life of Ms Ayliffe-Chung is an extraordinary act of courage and deserves recognition,” she said.

“That’s why I have today written to the Australian Bravery Decorations Council to nominate Mr Jackson for a posthumous bravery award.”

In the wake of his son’s death on Tuesday, Mr Jackson said his passing had left his family “bereft” and the world “a poorer place”.

Smail Ayad has been charged over the stabbings.

Ayad has been charged with the murder of Ms Ayliffe-Chung and the attempted murders of Mr Jackson and another man who attempted to intervene in the attack on the 21-year-old.

Queensland police said the attempted murder charge relating to Mr Jackson would be upgraded to murder at the 29-year-old’s next court appearance in October.

Ayad also faces an additional charge of animal cruelty, relating to allegations he slaughtered a pet dog in the same attack, and 12 counts of assault stemming from his time in custody in which he is alleged to have repeatedly punched, kicked and bitten police officers.