The man found guilty of killing British backpacker Grace Millane has had a successful last-ditch attempt to keep his name secret.
The Court of Appeal yesterday declined to continue the 28-year-old’s name suppression after 11am today.
But this morning the convicted murderer’s lawyer filed an urgent notice of appeal to New Zealand’s highest court, for suppression to continue.
The Supreme Court has made an order granting that request, until further order of the court.
However, in the Court of Appeal’s decision, it has dismissed his appeal against his conviction and sentencing, turning down his bid for a retrial.
In a statement issued by the Millane family today they say they're "pleased at the outcome that has been reached".
"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."
"Grace was a kind, fun-loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, aunty, cousin and friend with her whole life ahead of her.
"She was enjoying the first of what would have been a lifetime of adventures before her life was so cruelly and brutally cut short by her murderer."
The man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.
The man’s serving a life sentence behind bars, with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.
It’s been more than two years since Grace Millane was murdered in Auckland, on the eve of her 22nd birthday in 2018, after meeting the killer on the Tinder dating app.
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