Found Deceased NEW ZEALAND - Grace Millane, 22, British backpacker, Auckland, 1 Dec 2018 *Arrest*

[Stumpyaura]

What are the kind of reasons they could be applying this much suppression to the case?

 

[jamjim]

"When is name suppression available?
Criminal Procedure Act 2011, ss 200-204

Name suppression is available in the following situations:

• for victims and defendants in specific sexual cases, the aim being to protect the victim
• for children under 17 who are complainants or witnesses in criminal proceedings
• as provided in any statute – for example, section 438 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 restricts publication of any proceedings of the Youth Court except with the permission of the court
• for defendants and any other people connected to proceedings (for example, witnesses, victims), at the discretion of the court, subject to certain considerations.

What factors are relevant in deciding whether to grant name suppression?
Criminal Procedure Act 2011, ss 200-204

The court may make an order for name suppression only if it is satisfied that publishing the defendant’s name would be likely to:

• cause extreme hardship to the defendant or people connected with the defendant (for example, the defendant’s family)
• cast suspicion on another person that may cause them undue hardship
• cause undue hardship to a victim
• create a real risk of prejudicing a fair trial
• endanger any person’s safety
• lead to the identification of another person who has name suppression
• prejudice the maintenance of the law or the security or defence of New Zealand."

Name suppression - Community Law

 

[AllyBeeUK]

She went with him to his hotel room. She didn’t leave the hotel room alive. He took time off work and drove a rental car to the remote location the next day where her body was subsequently found. I really don’t see how he can be innocent.

I'm not saying he is innocent, I said I am keeping an open mind. I'm saying he hasn't been on trial yet so we can't make a judgment either way. I have watched plenty of trials where someone who is "clearly guilty" has been found otherwise, because evidence does not show what is was reported that it did.

The judge has already stated that something reported is "demonstrably false." We don't know what that is yet, it could be any of those things you listed.

Innocent until proven guilty is the foundation of any justice system. I will always give any defendant the presumption of innocence until I have heard the evidence, otherwise we might as well just try everyone by media.

There are a number of things about this case that seem out of the ordinary, not least the name suppression. I will wait and see how it unfolds.

 

[AllyBeeUK]

What are the kind of reasons they could be applying this much suppression to the case?

We don't know yet. The reasons for the name suppression are also suppressed.

 

[sunnynz]

What are the kind of reasons they could be applying this much suppression to the case?

I wonder if it’s because of his activity on social media which could be construed as sleazy/ dubious. If they released that as a reason then people could maybe figure out who he is through going via Grace’s profile. Just a guess but that could be something that could prejudice a jury?

 

[jamjim]

Grace Millane murder trial: British backpacker's family arrives at court to face alleged killer

"The parents of British backpacker Grace Millane have arrived at the High Court in Auckland to face their daughter's alleged murderer.

On Monday, a jury of seven women and five men were selected to hear the trial of the man accused of killing her.

The man, 27, who has name suppression, denied a single charge of murder at the first day of the trial on Monday."

 

[jamjim]

Benjamin John Cooper
@coopsyb

Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey, centre, arrives ahead of the trial for alleged murder of #GraceMillane in #NZ
@PA

Benjamin John Cooper on Twitter

 

[jamjim]

"2 minutes ago

The public gallery is full as the first day of the Grace Millane trial begins. Those who can’t find a seat, have chosen to stand next to the courtroom doors.

Grace’s parents, David and Gillian, who have travelled from Essex in the UK, sit in the front row.

Behind them is Detective Inspector Scott Beard who led the police investigation."

Grace Millane murder trial: Latest updates from Auckland high court

 

[jamjim]

"A minute ago

Crown Prosecutor Robin McCoubrey made his opening address to the jury on Wednesday.

"Grace Millane went back to an apartment with the defendant and she died there. He then buried her body on Scenic Drive," McCoubrey said.

"None of this is in dispute. What is in dispute is how she died."

McCoubrey said what happened before and after the events in the room were not in dispute - because CCTV captured the events of the night clearly.

But it is what happened inside the room that counts, he told the jury.

"Grace can't tell us."

McCoubrey said the accused and Grace met on Tinder and went to a few bars and restaurants in Auckland city on December 1, before going back to his apartment.

The pair were captured kissing and Grace appeared to be enjoying the evening at that stage, the court heard.

At around 9.40pm the two of them entered the apartment at CityLife."

Grace Millane murder trial: Latest updates from Auckland high court

 

[jamjim]

"2 minutes ago

McCoubrey said the Crown's case was that Grace was strangled, which required sustained pressure to the neck. Medical evidence to be heard later in the trial will confirm this, he said.

He said the accused said he and Grace had sex on the floor of the apartment, before he fell asleep in the shower and later crawled into bed, assuming Grace had gone home.

It was only when he woke up later that he saw Grace lying on the floor with blood coming from her nose.

McCoubrey told the jury they may hear evidence relating to intimate details about Grace, but that wouldn't assist jurors a great deal on what happened on the night of December 1.

He acknowledged it was confronting to come straight into this evidence but said that was the nature of the trial.

"What killed Grace is the key question you will have to consider," he told the jury.

"It is the Crown that has to prove this beyond a reasonable doubt."

Grace Millane murder trial: British backpacker and alleged killer met on Tinder

 

[jamjim]

"4 minutes ago

To answer the question: What killed Grace Millane? McCoubrey said the jury would have to consider both the forensic evidence from the scene and the actions of what the accused did next.

"If something had gone wrong, or someone had fallen unconscious during a sexual encounter - you would think that person would immediately call emergency services," he said.

"This is not how the accused behaved."

A side effect of strangulation is bleeding through the nose, McCoubrey said, because the act creates a dam in the head where the blood pools.

Bruises on Grace's body were consistent with constraint - she had bruises on her chest and upper arms, he said.

"DNA from blood becomes more difficult to detect if cleaning has taken place.

"The accused went so far as to hire a Rug Doctor to clean the carpet," the jury heard."

Grace Millane murder trial: British backpacker and alleged killer met on Tinder

 

[Tortoise]

Tweets from Simon Atkinson (@atko1978) | Twitter

The trial of the man accused of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane has begun in Auckland. Grace's parents David & Gillian on front row of a packed public gallery.

"Grace Millane went back to an apartment with the defendant and she died there. He then buried her body... none of this is in dispute. What is in dispute is how she died." Robin McCoubrey opens case for the Crown. Defendant (who can't be named) denies murder.

Mr McCoubrey tells jury in Auckland High Court - it's the Crown's case that Grace Millane was killed by strangulation.

The man accused of murdering Grace Millane confirmed a Tinder date with another woman - hours after he killed the British backpacker and while Ms Millane's body was still in his apartment, the jury is told.

Police first spoke to the man accused of killing Grace Millane - after he commented on a picture on her Facebook page the jury is told. Was interviewed under caution two days later.

He then went on that date while Grace's body remained in is flat. "You may ask yourself whether he cared about Ms Millane's body at all" - the prosecutor says to the jury.

Prosecutor Robin McCoubrey ends his opening his address to the jury. "Only two people know what happened in that room. One of them can’t tell us and the other hasn’t told the truth about what happened."

 

[jamjim]

Simon Atkinson
@atko1978

Jury told those facts include the accused:

- Browsing *advertiser censored* sites after Grace died
- Taking intimate photos of Grace
- Buying a large suitcase, "contorting" Grace's body into it and burying it in a shallow grave. #millane

Simon Atkinson (@atko1978) | Twitter

 

[jamjim]

Simon Atkinson
@atko1978

A statement by Grace Millane's father David will be read to the court when it resumes after a short morning tea break.

Simon Atkinson (@atko1978) | Twitter

 

[jamjim]

So now we know why the police ascertained so quickly that it was a homicide. Pictures of Grace on his phone. Presumably CCTV footage of him entering the hotel room with a newly purchased suitcase. Leaving the room with said suitcase.

This is horrific reading and it's only day 1. Grace's poor poor family, having to listen to this.

 

[jamjim]

"Internet searches give an accurate timeline of what the accused did in the early hours of December 2, the court heard.

Evidence of searches, shown to the jury, detail a man trying to find a way to dispose of a body - either a burial site in the Waitakere Ranges or in a fire.

"What is the hottest fire?" one search read. Straight after that, he watched *advertiser censored* at 1.41am.

"So if it's right that Grace is dead, then he wasn't distressed by what had occurred," McCoubrey said.

At around 6am, the accused made preparations for disposing of Grace's body and cleaning the scene, the court heard.

He searched for "large bags near me", he bought a suitcase, he rented a carpet cleaner, caught a taxi to a car hire company. The same items the Crown claims he later used to contort her body into and place in the boot of a car.

Later that afternoon, he met another woman for drinks in Ponsonby - an arrangement he confirmed at 8am that morning.

"None of these events are in dispute," McCoubrey told the jury.

"He doesn't seem concerned with the dead body in his apartment.""

Grace Millane murder trial: British backpacker and alleged killer met on Tinder

 

[Sarahlou]

Very grim reading. What a sick man

 

[stephaniejanes]

Ugh. This is going to be a hard one to follow. I'm not looking forward to the defence, which I presume will try to sully Grace's name.

 

[jamjim]

Simon Atkinson
@atko1978

"This is not a murder," defence barrister Ian Brookie tells jury. "Miss Millane’s death occurred during a perfectly ordinary casual sexual encounter between young people who met through Tinder and had a Saturday night drinking together, enjoying each others company".

Simon Atkinson (@atko1978) | Twitter

 

[jamjim]

Simon Atkinson
@atko1978

Defence argues the death was accidental. "Ms Millane died as a result of what they consensually engaged in – an act designed to enhance their sexual pleasure went wrong and she died as a result."

Simon Atkinson (@atko1978) | Twitter