The Tinder date who strangled British backpacker Grace Millane during sex has failed in his last-ditch bid for freedom.
He was jailed for life with a non-parole period of 17 years for murdering Ms Millane in his Auckland apartment in December 2018.
But despite having no more options to avoid life in prison, the 28-year-old still cannot be named due to a court ruling in New Zealand.
The vile killer s lawyers managed to keep his name secret by appealing to the Supreme Court on Friday morning, hours before the appeal verdict.
British backpacker Grace Millane, left, was strangled to death after meeting her killer via Tinder on December 1, 2018 – the day before her 22nd birthday
Grace Milane s killer loses legal bid but still can t be named
By Catrin Owen
The man found guilty of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane has lost his appeal against his conviction and prison sentence â but he still can t be named.
The 28-year-old, who now has name suppression until further court order, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years for the murder of Grace, 21, who was from Essex in the UK.
The graduate of England s University of Lincoln died sometime between December 1 and 2, 2018 after she went on a Tinder date with the man in Auckland s CBD.
Grace Millane s killer loses eleventh-hour bid to keep his name a secret
1:01pm Dec 17, 2020
Grace Millane, 22, was strangled to death by the man she met on a Tinder date. The defence claimed her death was an accident during consensual sex.
The Court of Appeal on Thursday declined to continue his name suppression past Friday when the court is expected to release its decision on his bid to appeal his conviction and sentence.
The 28-year-old can be named after the judgment is published on Friday, unless he gets an order from the Supreme Court preventing the move.
One of the last images of Grace Millane taken entering the CityLife hotel with her killer on the night she was murdered.(Supplied)
On Friday, Justice Stephen Kos, Justice Patricia Courtney and Justice Mark Cooper released their decision and dismissed the man’s appeal against his conviction and sentence. The New Zealand media would then have been able to publish the 28-year-old s name for the first time. However, just three-and-a-half hours before the Court of Appeal s decision was to be released, the man s lawyer filed a notice of an appeal. At 10.50am, the Supreme Court ordered the man to have name suppression until a further order of the court.
RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF
Grace Millane s father said they will return home to try to pick up the pieces of their lives. (First published November 2019)
Shortly after the decision, the Millane family released a statement thanking the judges, police and also New Zealanders for their support. They thanked Detective inspector Scott Beard, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Brand, Detective Sergeant Tony McKenzie and Detective Toni Jordan “for their hard work, dedication and unflinching support”.
RYAN ANDERSON/STUFF
Grace Millane s father said they will return home to try to pick up the pieces of their lives. (First published November 2019) “We would also like to thank the people of New Zealand for the love and support they have shown to Grace and our family over the last two years, the statement said.