Grace’s mum to confront killer
Free school meal programme kicks off in Hawke’s Bay
Grace Millane’s mother is expected to today confront her daughter’s killer in court after suffering in silence through every day of the trial.
A now 28-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty and convicted of the British backpacker’s murder last November.
Today, from 9am, he will be sentenced by Justice Simon Moore in the High Court at Auckland.
The Herald understands Gillian Millane will read a statement during the hearing via a video link from England.
After the killer was found guilty, David Millane spoke about how his only daughter’s “barbaric” murder ripped his family’s lives apart.
“This will be with us for the rest of our lives,” he said. “Grace was a beautiful, talented, loving daughter. Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever.”
Millane’s parents sat through every day of the nearly three-week-long trial but will not be at today’s hearing in person.
They tearfully told journalists after the guilty verdict they would return to England and “try to pick up the pieces of our lives”.
Members of the Auckland police team which worked on the investigation are expected to be at the proceeding today, specifically the three officers who spent the most time with Millane’s family — Detective Inspector Scott Beard, Detective Sergeant Greg Brand and Detective Toni Jordan.
Meanwhile, a woman who dated the killer before he murdered Millane said she was glad she spoke to police about the “coward”.
“I think justice has been served — we got a guilty verdict. We have waited a long time for this,” she said of the sentencing.
But there was no sympathy for the killer’s likely lengthy prison time.
He was a “coward for taking another girl’s life”, she said.
Millane, who was travelling the world, met her killer on the dating app Tinder before they shared some drinks at a few bars on the eve of her 22nd birthday in December 2018.
CCTV showed the pair appeared to be enjoying each other’s company as they returned to his small downtown Auckland apartment.
The university graduate would never leave the room alive — her body was later found dumped in shallow grave in the Waita¯kere Ranges.
“I am relieved I could stand up for myself, it could’ve been me. We did our part by going to the police and we were listened to,” said the woman, who came forward to police after the killer’s arrest.
“We have processed our hurt and anger but nothing we say will bring Grace back. I feel for Grace’s family — they still have a lot of grief to process.”
After hearing from nearly 40 witnesses during the highly charged and emotional trial, the jury’s decision was unanimous. Some jurors broke down and sobbed as they left the courtroom after delivering their guilty verdict.
They heard how the killer strangled Millane to death in his CityLife hotel room and then took “trophy” photos of her body. He “eroticised the death of British backpacker Grace Millane” because of his “morbid sexual interest”, Auckland’s Crown Solicitor Brian Dickey told the jury. Police used some of the six terabytes of CCTV footage they collected to track the killer’s movements across Auckland before and after he killed Millane.
His internet search history and those who knew the murderer’s inclination to dominate women were also canvassed.
The killer’s defence, led by barrister Ian Brookie, used expert evidence and those who knew Millane to argue it was an accidental death during erotic asphyxiation.
Brookie said his client had “freaked out” before later lying to police and trying to cover up the homicide.
Anew free school lunch has been given a tentative pass mark by a nutritionist as a great way to get vitamins into young brains and bodies. Celebrity chef Simon Gault is also a fan, declaring the scheme a “genius idea” — but he reckons the corn chips included in yesterday’s launch offering should get the chop.
“To me, serving kids chips at lunch — there's no goodness, it's just rubbish, it doesn't need to be in there. It should be protein, vegetables with some fruit.
“I love a chip, but I don't think they should be in a lunchbox every day,” the MasterChef NZ judge said.
The new school lunches were unveiled at Flaxmere Primary School yesterday.
But instead of a lunch lady, the free food was dolled out by the Prime Minister herself.
Jacinda Ardern was in Hawke’s Bay promoting the Government’s free and healthy school lunch programme, which is feeding schoolchildren in the region.
Seven thousand pupils at 31 schools in Taira¯whiti/Hawke’s Bay and Waiariki/Bay of Plenty are taking a bite out of the programme.
“Ultimately we want every child in New Zealand to be learning with a full stomach,” Ardern said. “A full stomach makes all the difference to a child’s learning.”
Ardern sat with the children while they ate, sharing corn chips with Izaiyah Kiyal ( main picture), saying she felt bad as they were his favourite food but he kept offering to share.
The free food and a lunch date with the PM were met with a thumbs up from the pupils, with Rhyka
Mansell describing the lunch as “delicious”.
For Rhylan Arahanga, it hit all the right notes, as fruit, biscuits, chips and macaroni were what he usually wanted to eat, he said. School principal Robyn Isaacson said the programme meant children were able “to open a lunch box, to never actually complain about what’s in it, to know that it is nutritious and is able to fill their pukus so they can learn in the afternoon”.
The menu also received a tick of approval from nutritionist Erika Motoie, who said it was a great incentive to get vitamins and energy in young brains and bodies.
“I think it is a fantastic idea that can make the kids look forward to a different food experience each day.”
Motoie said she would present the meals a little differently, however, with some sauce on the side, more flavours, a touch more greens and a hint of garnish. “After all, we eat with our eyes as well,” she said.
But will the kids find it appealing? “Depending on how they eat at home, this could be a real feast,” Motoie said.
“But some of them would need some disguising techniques — recipes like vege fritters or vege muffins — that would use the veges in a yummy and fun way.”
The lunches cost around $5 per child per meal. But, for a mere 60c more per head per day, prisoners on Christmas Day are treated to a full roast dinner complete with piping hot gravy, followed by apple pie with custard for dessert.
But no trimmings, treats or trifle are to be found, as all prison meals are in line with nutrition guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Health.
“While it meets basic nutritional requirements, it is not lavish,” the Corrections website said..
The free and healthy school lunches programme is one of 75 initiatives from New Zealand’s Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy, which was launched last year.