Grace Millane murderer loses appeal against conviction and sentence

The man who murdered British backpacker Grace Millane and dumped her body in a forested area in New Zealand has lost an appeal against his conviction and prison sentence.

The man, whose identity is suppressed, appealed to New Zealand’s court of appeal in August but it found against him on Friday.

Justices Stephen Kos, Mark Cooper and Patricia Courtney said the Auckland murder was “committed with a high degree of callousness” due to the killer failing “to call for assistance, searching on the internet for methods of body disposal … taking steps preparatory to disposing of the body and going on another date while Ms Millane’s body remained in his room”. The judges also found his sentence was not “manifestly unjust”.

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On Friday, the New Zealand police force issued a statement from the Millane family, who said they were “pleased at the outcome that has been reached” in the loss of the appeal. The family thanked the police, judges, prosecutors and the people of New Zealand.

“Grace was a kind, fun-loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, aunty, cousin and friend with her whole life ahead of her,” the statement said.

“She was enjoying the first of what would have been a lifetime of adventures before her life was so cruelly and brutally cut short by her murderer. Her sense of fun, her sense of adventure, her love of travel and exploring, along with her ability to light up any room she walked into with her generosity of spirit, are memories we as a family cherish and how we will forever remember her.

“Grace, you are, and will always be, our sunshine.”

The man was convicted of murdering Millane by strangling her in a hotel in Auckland after meeting her via Tinder on 1 December 2018 – the day before her 22nd birthday. Millane’s body was later found in a suitcase buried in a forested area outside the city.

In February, the killer was jailed for life with a non parole period of at least 17 years for the murder. He had claimed Millane, who was from Wickford in Essex, died accidentally after the pair engaged in rough sex that went too far. A jury in November 2019 rejected that argument and found him guilty.

Murder typically comes with a life sentence in New Zealand. Prosecutors successfully argued that the killer must serve 17 years before becoming eligible for parole.

In sentencing, Justice Simon Moore told him his actions amounted to “conduct that underscores a lack of empathy, and sense of self-entitlement and objectification”.

On Friday, the judges upheld that, saying: “Ms Millane was particularly vulnerable, being intoxicated, in a strange apartment, naked, in the arms of a comparative stranger with whom she thought she could trust, and with his hands around her throat”.

Millane’s father David Millane, 62, died last month after a battle with cancer.