Man in court over school lockdown causes chaos at first hearing

A court has been told new details about the man who threatened staff at the school where water polo coach Lilie James was murdered.

The man who threatened staff at the school where water polo coach Lilie James was murdered has shocked the court at his first hearing.

Marc Ben James O’Har, 46, appeared at Downing Centre on Tuesday after being charged over his erratic behaviour at St Andrew’s Cathedral School on Monday that sent the building into lockdown.

When asked by magistrate Greg Grogin if he would like to speak to his solicitor on Tuesday after refusing the night before, Mr O’Har teed off.

He said he was “f**king naked” when his solicitor contacted him, and he did not want to speak to a lawyer in the nude.

Marc O’Har, 46, has appeared in court for his first mention. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift

O’Har continued to speak rapidly and loudly, with expletives littered throughout, despite Mr Grogin’s interjections.

The outburst stopped when Mr Grogin sternly told Mr O’Har to stop speaking, after which O’Har confirmed that he would now like to speak to his legal representative.

Following the outburst, the court was told that O’Har walked straight into a room full of students on Monday after threatening to jab a security guard with a needle.

He has pleaded guilty to one charge of enter enclosed lands without lawful excuse and one charge of intimidate – intend fear physical etc harm.

He is yet to enter a plea for a charge of goods in custody, as he is awaiting a mental health assessment.

O’Har threatened a security guard who attempted to stop him from entering the school.

“Don’t touch me or I will jab you with a needle,” the court was told O’Har had said.

He faces three charges after causing a lockdown at a busy Sydney school. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift

He later returned to the premises and saw the same security guard, prompting O’Har to say, “Do you remember me? I know you.”

He then walked in through the sliding doors.

O’Har was then able to enter a classroom full of students, at which point his lawyer said his client realised the extent of what he had done and began to leave the premises on his own.

Bail was refused, and O’Har will return to Downing Centre to be sentenced on Wednesday.

Police attended the school about 9.45am on Monday after reports a man had earlier threatened staff and returned to the campus, NSW Police said in a statement.

“The school was placed in lockdown and a search of the building, on the corner of Druitt and Kent streets, was conducted with the assistance of specialist resources,” NSW Police said.

“Despite an extensive search of the grounds, the man could not be located, and the lockdown was lifted.”

About noon, police were called to a hotel in Surry Hills where O’Har was allegedly acting erratically and refusing to leave the premises.

Mr O’Har was arrested at a hotel on Monday afternoon. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift

He was arrested and identified as the same man wanted over the alleged earlier incident at St Andrew’s.

O’Har was taken to Surry Hills police station and charged following inquiries.

He was refused bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, NSW Police said in the statement.

It is understood O’Har is not connected with the school but is one of many homeless people sleeping rough near Town Hall.

He is in custody. Picture: NewsWire / David Swift

A school spokeswoman described O’Har as having been “disorientated” when he entered the school grounds.

“We have now established that a disorientated man entered an external area of the senior school and was off site less than a minute later,” she said.

“The school thanks its staff and the NSW Police for their professional and calm response.”

Lilie James was killed by her ex-boyfriend at St Andrew’s. Picture: Facebook

Ms James was murdered by Paul Thijssen on the evening of October 25, 2023. He cornered her inside a bathroom of the prestigious Sydney private school where they were colleagues.

The water polo coach died due to blunt force trauma to the head after being attacked with a hammer by her ex-partner, whom she had broken up with a few days before her murder.

Hours after the murder, Thijssen took his own life at Vaucluse, with his remains found in the rocks at Diamond Bay Reserve two days after Ms James’s murder.

Originally published as Man in court over school lockdown causes chaos at first hearing