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

[CoverMeCagney]

Defence counsel Ian Brookie questions Detective Adam Bicknell about the amount of alcohol consumed by Grace and the defendant on the evening of December 1.

None of the receipts from the night show the pair ordered any food, Brookie said.

"The couple we see on the CCTV images are getting on really well on their date - is that accurate?" Brookie asks Bicknell.

"Yes, there doesn't seem to be any problems." he answered.

Brookie then listed the drinks purchased. At Andy's Burger Bar receipts show the pair ordered four mango-passion mint cocktails, five margaritas and two tequila shots in the hour and 25 minutes they were there.

At the Mexican Cafe, they bought one jug of sangria and two cocktails.

At the Bluestone Room they had three bottles of Heineken, two whiskey cocktails, and two tequila shots.

"So again, they had two tequila shots each?" Brookie asked Bicknell.

"I don't know who drank the drinks," Bicknell replied.

Grace Millane murder trial: CCTV footage shows backpacker's last hours in Auckland

Wow. That's 13 cocktails, 4 tequilas, 3 beers and a jug of sangria. In 3 hours. I think it's fair to assume they were a bit tipsy

Thanks for the updates everyone!

 

[jamjim]

As a part of the defence's cross-examination, the jury is watching the full video of Grace and the defendant at the Bluestone Room bar - the final stop the pair made before going back to the CityLife hotel.

The video shows the pair occasionally kissing and touching over a small table.

Grace Millane murder trial: CCTV footage shows backpacker's last hours in Auckland

 

[sunnynz]

Wow. That's 13 cocktails, 4 tequilas, 3 beers and a jug of sangria. In 3 hours. I think it's fair to assume they were a bit tipsy

Thanks for the updates everyone!

That's a huge amount of alcohol - I guess when you're that age you're that age you're often still learning about your ability to process alcohol at large volumes. It's so sad, I bet she was just having a really fun night - loads of cocktails with what she thought was a nice cute guy.

The drinks do explain the defendant's story about falling asleep in the shower though - that part actually seems credible now.

As a local to the area that this all happened, my observation is that the places they visited - Andy's Burgers, Mexican Cafe and Bluestone Room - seem a very strange choice for drinks for people that age. Mexican Cafe has lots of young people but that's because it's a cheap place to dine out. I don't think I've ever heard of people going there and not ordering food - it's definitely more of a restaurant than a bar. There are just way more 'cool' places I guess that people that age would go to in the CBD. When I think about these three places the only thing that they have 'going for them' (for want of a better phrase) is that they're very handy to the defendant's apartment. And pretty handy to Grace's hostel too. The three places get progressively closer and closer to the citylife hotel where he lived, and I am guessing that he was working on getting Grace back to his place. We of course know that Grace seemingly went there willingly so it's not anything earth shattering I know, just an observation.

 

[Mariposa]

That's a huge amount of alcohol - I guess when you're that age you're that age you're often still learning about your ability to process alcohol at large volumes. It's so sad, I bet she was just having a really fun night - loads of cocktails with what she thought was a nice cute guy.

The drinks do explain the defendant's story about falling asleep in the shower though - that part actually seems credible now.

.

I agree I was thinking, maybe I'm just old but that sounds like a massive amount of alcohol in a compressed time frame. And they ordered not a bite of food at three restaurants?

 

[Mariposa]

This is obvious nonsense.

It is not accidental when he admits he intentionally choked the life out of her

Right, how convenient is it if throttling someone (let's face it, pretty much always a female someone) to death is now classified as accidental side effect of consensual sex, for which the male should not be held to account for or even, according to this guy's attorney, feel too bad about?

His actions with photographing her corpse and hopping right back on Tinder are beyond sinister. Even more sinister than disposing of the body IMO.

Speaking of Tinder was there anything in court about the timing of their Tinder connection or communications before they met up on Dec 1?

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Further internet searches included "car hire Auckland", "time in London", "large sports bags", "flesh-eating birds" and "are there vultures in New Zealand?"

Pretty clear from his internet search what he was thinking.

December 2
.........

He then went on a date with a woman to a Ponsonby Bar. The date had been arranged via Tinder and confirmed earlier in the day while Millane lay dead in his apartment. Millane's body remained in the car boot overnight.

Hard to believe he hasn't done this before.

Watch: CCTV footage of Grace Millane's final date – what the jury has seen

 

[jamjim]

The court has adjourned for the day.

To recap on today's evidence, a CCTV timeline traced Grace and the accused's movements over the course of around four hours on December 1, 2018. The pair were seen visiting several bars around the city.

An iPhone found in the accused's apartment contained intimate photos of a woman, the Crown says is Grace, and internet searches of where to find large suitcases, places to hire cars, and *advertiser censored* sites.

Forensic scientists confirmed potential blood stains were found in several parts of the accused's apartment.

Read more about the trial here.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

Expert forensic scientist Dianne Crenfeldt is the next witness to give evidence. She conducted the scene examination of the CityLife hotel room.

Her job is to look for biological fluid and examine areas and items for other evidence.

She said potential blood stains were located in several areas and on several items in the room.

Probable blood was discovered on the fridge.

Crenfeldt said, in her expert opinion, the blood pattern likely came from an object with blood on it that had been cast through the air and landed in a line on the fridge.

"The object could be a limb on a human body," she confirmed to Crown Solicitor Brian Dickey.

Other items examined included two bags identified by police as being of interest.

One was an Adidas sports bag, the other was a black suitcase.

Probable blood was found on the outside of the suitcase and in its lining, she told the jury.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

"Grace Millane's mum Gillian has returned to court to hear the rest of the evidence."

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

Internet searches for December 2 continue to be read out by Crown Prosecutor Robin McCoubrey to Detective Samuel Luker:

From 2.08am to 2.24am - More pornographic sites are looked at.

6.01am - Car hire Auckland is searched for which directs to the Kayak search engine website. The dates 2 December to 3 December are inputted.

6.08am - Ezi Car Rental's website is accessed to hire a car and it is processed.

6.34am - Internet search for "Large bags near me", which appears to direct the user to results detailing Fly light luggage and Strand Bags.

7.05am - a Google search for "Rigor mortis" is made

7.17am - There's a search for the Warehouse store.

7.18am - The Warehouse website's section on suitcase, school bags, bags and luggage is viewed.

9.15am to 9.17am - Further searches for bags.

9.49am - There is a search for "carpet cleaner" which directs to the Rug Doctor website.

12.30pm - Another search for "Rigor mortis"

1.02pm to 2.50pm - There are various searches for large bags,
duffel bags with wheels, extra large bags, 1-metre long bags.

1.05pm - a Google search for made "Time in London".

2.18am - There is a search for breaking news in New Zealand.

2.28am - "Are there vultures in New Zealand?" is inputted into Google.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

The iPhone found on the bed in the apartment searched by police was examined and later identified as the defendant's.

Internet searches and phone activity from December 2, 2018, show his actions as follows:

1.29am - The accused searched for "Waitakere Rangers".

1.39am - There is a Google search for "hottest fire".

1.41am - a *advertiser censored* website is accessed.

1.46am - An intimate photo is taken of a woman's body, another of her lower leg and foot.

1.49am - Another intimate photo is taken

The Crown says the woman in the photos is Grace.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

Grace's mother, Gillian Millane, has left the courtroom visibly upset as the jury is told intimate photos of a woman were found on the accused's phone. The Crown, in their opening statement, claimed that woman was Grace.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

The initial examination of the room at CityLife Hotel took place over a number of days, Detective Samuel James Luker tells the jury.

Luminol, a spray that glows when it reacts with blood, was used first, on December 7.

"I saw the glow in the room under the window at the feet end of the bed," he told the jury.

There was also a "blood circle", one large and one small, on a patch of the carpet between the bed and the wardrobe.

Cleaning products were found in the bathroom, in a cupboard under the sink.

They were: A Rug Doctor Heavy Duty Spot Remover, Amazing Stain Remover Vanish, Rug Doctor Carpet Clean, Janola bleach, Janola multipurpose cleaner and a bottle of bathroom cleaner.

The bathroom cleaner bottle had a red spot on the front of it, he told the jury.

"I took a swab of it."

Four days later, Luker returned to the room to take a sample of carpet and underlay from where the large and smaller blood circle were identified.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

Court has resumed for the afternoon with Detective Samuel James Luker giving evidence.

He conducted the scene examination of a room at the CityLife hotel apartment where the defendant lived.

Two phones were found and an empty suitcase. The search warrant was executed around 9.55pm on December 6, he told the jury.

As he entered the room, he put sterile stepping plates down to avoid contamination of the scene, and looked in all the areas a person may be.

"I was looking for Miss Millane," he said. "But the room was empty."

However, two phones were found - one on the bedside table and one on the bed covers.

The one found on the bed belonged to the defendant. He secured the scene and handed over to the scene guard, who remained there at all times, he said.

The next day, December 7, Luker returned to the scene around 10am to conduct further tests.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

The statement from Grace's friend Ameena Ashcroft continued: "On December 1, Grace messaged me: 'I'm on a date with a guy who's a manager'.

"I was a bit concerned, but I didn't tell Grace that I was. I thought something seemed out of place. I thought it was weird that she was on a date with a manager."

The court heard the pair continued to speak throughout the evening, with Grace providing regular updates, such as "cocktails all round" and "it [the date] is really good, he's in the toilet". Later Grace told her friend "Mate, he lives in a hotel".

Ameena said she could tell Grace was drunk by the spelling errors and by the way she was saying how much she loved and missed her best friend, meaning Ameena.

The statement ended with Ameena saying Grace would talk about her sex life with her, including her sexual preferences.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[jamjim]

Grace's friend, Ameena Ashcroft, wrote a statement that was read to the court.

She said she met Grace at Lincoln University. They regularly kept in touch and that didn't change when Grace went overseas.

"I thought she was a lovely outgoing girl who knew what she wanted to achieve. She was certain she wanted to travel the world," the statement read.

Grace and Ameena would often talk about boys. "I know she was on [dating apps] Tinder and Bumble," she said.

On the night Grace was on her date with the accused, the pair communicated via Facebook Messenger.

Ameena said there were aspects of what Grace had said about her date that concerned her, but she didn't want to say anything at the time.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

 

[sunnynz]

Grace's mother, Gillian Millane, has left the courtroom visibly upset as the jury is told intimate photos of a woman were found on the accused's phone. The Crown, in their opening statement, claimed that woman was Grace.

Grace Millane murder trial: Accused searched for cleaning products and suitcases on night backpacker died

Completely unimaginable what the family is feeling. My heart really goes out to them.

 

[HerculeP]

Test

 

[HerculeP]

It is possible that this guy is so sick that he took pictures of her dead, naked body before dumping her.

That would explain the announcement that it is a homicide investigation before they found her body, and would explain also the statement about the clothes and the publishing of photos of her jewellery.

This has proved to be true...

 

[HerculeP]

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."

Do you think admitting this was a big mistake ? If, as a prosecutor you admit you cannot know what happened in that room, you must admit of reasonable doubt.
Hence manslaughter is inevitable. Remember he is speaking directly to the jury here on Day 1 !