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		</div><p>A 27-year-old man has been found guilty of the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane whose body was found buried in a suitcase in New Zealand.</p>
<p>The young woman from Wickford, Essex, was strangled by a man she had met on dating site Tinder and with whom she spent several hours drinking in the centre of Auckland on December 1, 2018.</p>
<p>The pair returned to his apartment and Ms Millane was killed either that night or in the early hours of the next morning – the date of her 22nd birthday.</p>
<p>The jury of seven women and five men returned a unanimous verdict after just five hours deliberation at Auckland High Court.</p>
<p>The Crown successfully argued the man, whose name is subject to a suppression order, strangled her and shoved her body inside a suitcase before burying her in a forested area outside Auckland.</p>
<p>She was assumed missing and her father, David Millane, flew to New Zealand as local authorities spent a week searching until her body was found by police.</p>
<p>Mr Millane and Grace’s mother, Gillian Millane, wept after the verdict was delivered, as did several jurors.</p>
<p>The Millanes held hands as they left the court, with Mr Millane telling reporters the verdict would be welcomed by all of Grace’s family and friends.</p>
<p><em>“It will not reduce the pain and suffering we have had to endure over the past year,”</em> he said.</p>
<p><em>“Grace was taken in the most brutal fashion a year ago and our lives have been ripped apart.</em></p>
<p><em>“Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever.”</em></p>
<p>The defence had claimed the death was accidental and occurred during rough sexual intercourse.</p>
<p>The court had been told Ms Millane had an interest in BDSM, with a previous sexual partner testifying they had used safe words and physical tapping to indicate when physical pressure became overwhelming.</p>
<p>During the trial, the jurors heard from forensic experts who examined the accused’s apartment for blood stains as well as Ms Millane’s body after her death.</p>
<p>They were also shown footage of the woman and the defendant drinking at various bars throughout Auckland and kissing before they returned to his apartment.</p>
<p>Video footage from the elevator of her exiting on the third floor marked the last recorded time Ms Millane was seen alive.</p>
<p>Police officers said phone data showed the killer had used Google to browse websites for large duffel bags, suitcases and car hire after Ms Millane died.</p>
<p>The defendant’s phone was also used to search for “flesh-eating birds” and “are there vultures in New Zealand?”.</p>
<p>Records showed the defendant had searched online for “the hottest fire”, “large bags near me” and “Waitakere Ranges”.</p>
<p>On Friday the killer was remanded to custody until his sentencing on February 21, 2020.</p>
<p>He faces life in prison with a minimum of 10 years without parole, though the judge can increase the latter period.</p>
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