KILLER WON’T FACE TRIAL
HOME HILL MURDERER OF ‘ UNSOUND MIND’
THE man accused of a frenzied backpacker murder at a Home Hill hostel won’t stand trial after being found of “unsound mind” yesterday. French national Smail Ayad ( pictured left) had symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia before he stabbed British backpacker Mia Ayliffe- Chung ( pictured right) and Tom Jackson to death in August 2016.
HOME Hill hostel murderer Smail Ayad will never face trial after being deemed 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 ( right) 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.
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 predate 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 non- existent 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 didn’t 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 a pizza oven on a trailer.
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”.
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.
Ms Ayliffe broke down in tears, remembering her daughter as full of life, laughter and fun.
She told the court she spent many sleepless nights 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.”
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.