Grace, a graduate from the University of Lincoln and former hockey club vice captain, was on a trip to New Zealand when she went on a date with the defendant, who cannot be named until a court suspension is lifted, on December 1, a day before her 22nd birthday. They had met on the Tinder dating app and visited a number of bars in the city centre.
They returned to the City Life hotel and leisure complex, where he was staying. A trial heard he had chocked her to death during sex.
Tributes continue to pour in for Grace Millane. Photo: Facebook
Following her death, the court heard the defendant searched for pornographic content online, and took photographs of her body. He also went on a date with another woman the following day while Grace was still in his apartment.
During the trial at the city’s high court, the 27-year-old defendant claimed she died accidentally during “rough sex”. He reportedly showed no emotion as the verdict was read out in court, with some members of the jury breaking down and sobbing as they left the courtroom for the final time.
Justice Simon Moore said the defendant would be sentenced on February 21, 2020.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Grace Millane’s parents, who were seated in the first row of the public gallery, broke down in tears and embraced each other as they heard the guilty verdict.
Her father David Millane told journalists: “This will be with us for the rest of our lives. Grace was a a beautiful, talented, loving daughter. Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever.”
He added that she “did not deserve to be murdered in such a barbaric way”.
Photo of his apartment, issued by Auckland City Police
Photo issued by Auckland City Police. Inspectors used luminal to highlight blood stains on the floor of the killer’s apartment.
Other women told their story to the jury regarding their encounters with the defendant.
An Auckland woman, who matched with the defendant on Tinder and met him for a sexual encounter described him as a “sociopath” in the New Zealand Herald. She was one of three women to tell their story to the jury, including the accused’s alleged supposed liking for erotic asphyxiation.
The New Zealand Herald said the defence, however, used expert evidence and those who knew Millane to say it was an accidental death during erotic asphyxiation.
They said at the time: “Grace Millane was a beautiful young woman who spent her three years at University as a cherished member of the Hockey Club. Upon learning the tragic news, the society have decided to raise money in Grace’s honour for both a Lincolnshire based cancer charity – Candles (from the funds raised on Wednesday), and the Lucie Blackman trust, who support British victims overseas and have supported her family during this time.”
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Lockdown restrictions will be partially lifted for Christmas, allowing up to three households to meet in an ‘exclusive bubble’.
The plans are yet to be officially confirmed by government, however, according to major outlets including BBC News and Sky News, it will mean that in the five day period between December 23-27:
Three households will be able to form an exclusive “bubble” and meet indoors
Travel restrictions will be also be lifted
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Tuesday afternoon chaired a meeting with the first ministers of the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to agree the plans.
It is understood there will be some minor changes to the initial plans for each of the nations.
Travel restrictions are also set to be lifted during the same period and some overnight stays will be allowed.
In a briefing on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I can’t say that Christmas will be normal this year, but in a period of adversity, time spent with loved ones is even more precious for people of all faiths and we all want some kind of Christmas — we need it.
“But what we don’t want is to throw caution to the winds and allow the virus to flare up again, forcing us all back into lockdown in January.
“This virus is not going to grant a Christmas truce. It doesn’t know Christmas and families will need to make a careful judgement about the risks.”
There have been 209 new coronavirus cases and 24 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 118 new cases in Lincolnshire, 51 in North Lincolnshire and 40 in North East Lincolnshire.
It also registered 16 deaths in Lincolnshire, four in North Lincolnshire and four in North East Lincolnshire.
These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported nine local hospital deaths on Tuesday. Five were at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and four were at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. This takes the total number of hospital deaths in the county to 477.
On Tuesday, national cases increased by 11,299 to 1,538,794, while deaths rose by 608 to 55,838.
Lincolnshire COVID-19 deaths up to November 24.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases at the University of Lincoln has more than halved this week. It currently has 61 coronavirus cases — 58 students and three staff.
The man in charge of care homes in Lincolnshire said extra precautions are still needed for visitors, besides twice-weekly rapid testing, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined in his winter plan on Monday.
In national news, new figures show weekly COVID-19 deaths in England and Wales are at the highest level since May.
The transport secretary announced that international visitors will be able to reduce their quarantine time by more than half from December 15, provided they purchase a COVID-19 test after five days.
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Tuesday, November 24
24,047 cases (up 209)
14,783 in Lincolnshire (up 118)
4,412 in North Lincolnshire (up 51)
4,852 in North East Lincolnshire (up 40)
745 deaths (up 24)
485 from Lincolnshire (up 16)
133 from North Lincolnshire (up four)
127 from North East Lincolnshire (up four)
of which 477 hospital deaths (up nine)
251 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up five)
9 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
216 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up four)
1,538,794 UK cases, 55,838 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Geordie comedian Sarah Millican will perform at four Lincolnshire venues next year as part of her new UK tour Bobby Dazzler.
Sarah, who is married to fellow comedian Gary Delaney and has appeared on various TV panel shows, will visit Lincoln, Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Skegness between July and October 2021.
Tickets will be available for general sale from 10am on Friday, November 27 – see more details here.
However, anyone on Sarah’s mailing list will have access to book at 10am on Wednesday, November 26. The first 5,000 tickets that get sold to mailing list members will have no booking fee.
Tickets are priced at £27.50 before any venue charges. The booking fee will only be £1.50 per ticket.
Lincolnshire shows
The Baths Hall, Scunthorpe – July 16 and 17
Grimsby Auditorium – August 21
Embassy Theatre, Skegness – September 1
The Engine Shed, Lincoln – October 27 and 31
As well as the UK and Ireland leg of the tour, Sarah is working on booking some international dates in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
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