The killer of a young British backpacker can finally be named after he lost an appeal against his murder conviction and sentence.
Jesse Kempson murdered Grace Millane the night before her 22nd birthday in December 2018. They met on dating site Tinder and went for a drink together in Auckland, New Zealand, and he strangled her soon afterwards.
Legal restrictions in New Zealand meant that until today the young woman’s killer could not be identified.
During his murder trial at Auckland Crown Court earlier this year, prosecutors said Kempson shoved Ms Millane’s body inside a suitcase before burying her in the Waitakere Ranges outside the city.
Grace’s parents David and Gillian Millane
She was assumed missing and her father, David Millane, flew to New Zealand during the week-long search for her body.
Outside the courtroom after the guilty verdict, Mr Millane made an emotional statement describing his daughter as “our sunshine” and said she would be “missed forever”.
New Zealanders joined the search for the young woman
Ms Millane was born in Brentwood, Essex, the third child and only daughter of parents Gillian and David, who already had two young sons, Michael and Declan.
An outgoing teenager who loved music and was a talented hockey player, she went on to earn a degree in advertising and marketing from the University of Lincoln.
New Zealanders left tributes to Grace
She left her home in Wickford, Essex, in October 2018 and flew to South America for the first leg of her gap year.
After arriving in New Zealand on 20 November, she spent 10 days travelling around the upper North Island, including Cape Reinga and the Bay of Islands, before heading to Auckland.
There were mass vigils for Grace, such as this one in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington
Kempson was ordered to serve at least 17 years behind bars – one of the longest non-parole punishments in New Zealand’s history.