The victim of a sadistic amateur footballer who raped, tortured and set her on fire during a 23-day ordeal is at risk of going blind from her injuries and feels she has been reduced to ‘nothing’.
The Brisbane woman was put through the hell by former bank worker Nicholas Paul Crilley, 34, at his townhouse in trendy inner-city Bulimba in June and July 2017, a court has heard. She was 21 at the time.
Crilley, who once dubbed himself with the supposedly ‘gangster’ nickname ‘NJ Crillz’, has pleaded guilty to 54 charges, including torture and grievous bodily harm. Crown prosecutors want him locked up for life.
As Crilley’s victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – bravely read out a victim impact statement at Queensland’s District Court, a longtime friend has come forward to reveal how the young woman has suffered, and ask for help.
Nicholas John Crilley, 34, played football on an amateur level for the Samford Stags in Brisbane’s north-west prior to his heinous crimes
Crilley (right), at a music festival with friends and his brother, went by the ‘gangster’ nickname ‘NJ Crillz’ on social media
Some former friends were stunned by Crilley’s crimes. One said in a social media post this week: ‘What did I just read about NJ Crillz?’
Online, Crilley’s mantra was ‘work hard, stay humble’ and he gave himself the nickname ‘NJ Crillz’
In a GoFundMe post, which Daily Mail Australia can share with permission, friend Linden Hill said: ‘(The victim) has gone from a confident, happy go lucky, strong, independent, self funded woman, to a woman that has absolutely nothing.’
Ms Hill wrote that the victim is facing a lifetime of health issues – including suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, nightmares, body tremors, skin grafts, laser treatment, reconstructive surgery and the possibility of going blind.
Even her car was taken from her by Crilley – written off during a high-speed police pursuit, eight days after the victim was found by police and paramedics and in such a bad state they thought she was dead.
‘She has medical bills that are adding up (medications that aren’t covered) plus the loss of her car due to the maggot using it in the high-speed police chase and it was written off,’ Ms Hill wrote.
‘She now has to catch public transport to her hospital, psychologist, DVAC (domestic violence support) appointments and as I’m sure you’re all aware this puts more strain on her.’
The District Court heard horrifying details of how the victim was imprisoned at Crilley’s townhouse where she was forced to sleep outside or on the floor for much of the 23-day ordeal.
The court has heard he poured burning liquids into her eyes and broke her teeth during endless beatings. She has to wear a wig after losing chunks of hair, thanks to a badly burned scalp.
The victim, who was 21 at the time, was found barely alive in Nicholas John Crilley’s house in Bulimba (pictured) on July 2, 2017. She was so badly injured police who found her thought she had been involved in an explosion
Nicholas John Crilley forced the woman to eat her own vomit and faeces, and made her sleep on the floor or outside
The tissue on part of her face was so severely infected it was infested with maggots, the prosecutor said
Reading from her victim impact statement on Tuesday, the victim said: ‘I have been disfigured both mentally and physically.
‘It is something I would not wish on my worst enemies.’
She said people now look at her as a ‘monster’ because of her ‘horrific, very visible and predominantly irreversible’ injuries.
‘Every time I leave my home I am stared at,’ she said.
‘I do not see myself walking down an aisle and fulfilling a woman’s dream of being married in a white gown to a man she loves.’
Crown Prosecutor Sandra Cupina said Crilley’s violent attacks were sustained, brutal and vicious.
She told the court he beat the woman, then became aroused and proceeded to rape her.
‘(Crilley) subjected the (woman) to severe physical, psychological and sadistic violence,’ Ms Cupina said. ‘
As (the woman) became more injured, (Crilley) increased the methods he was using to harm her.
‘First the boiling water, then the acetone, then setting her on fire.’
A suited up Crilley, on right, during a formal event with friends prior to his offending
Crilley repeatedly called her a ‘s**t’ and forced her to confess to sleeping with other men while he had been in jail for other offences
‘The horror (she) would have been experiencing is almost unimaginable,’ she said.
The tissue on part of her face was so severely infected it was infested with maggots, the prosecutor said.
Defence lawyer Malcolm Harrison told the court Crilley was in a methylamphetamine-induced delusional state during the prolonged assault.
He said Crilley believed the woman had been part of a drive-by shooting that targeted him, but it was not based on reality.
‘This is a dreadful and extremely serious example of violence against a woman,’ he said. ‘The offences were sadistic in nature.’
However, Mr Harrison reminded the court Crilley had called triple-zero.
‘That is probably the one factor in his favour,’ he said.
Friends of the victim were reluctant to comment as the ordeal is not over yet.
Crilley – a former amateur rugby league player from Bracken Ridge in the city’s north and try-hard party-boy – will be sentenced on May 1.
For 24/7 crisis support in Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
If you have experienced sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800 RESPECT