$400k in legal aid for Millane’s killer Family thankful
Taxpayers have spent more than $400,000 on legal fees to help the man who killed Grace Millane defend himself.
The 28-year-old, who has name suppression until a further court order, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years for the murder of Millane, 21, who was from Essex in Britain.
The graduate of the University of Lincoln in England died between December 1 and 2, 2018, after she went on a Tinder date with the man in central Auckland.
Yesterday, Justice Stephen Kos, Justice Patricia Courtney and Justice Mark Cooper dismissed the man’s appeal against his conviction and sentence, saying his behaviour throughout the incident and in the aftermath of Millane’s death was ‘‘wholly self-regarding wickedness’’.
Stuff can now reveal the man has received more than $400,000 in legal aid.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed to Stuff the final amount of costs for legal aid stands at $406,173.
The Ministry of Justice website states: ‘‘Legal aid is government funding to pay for a lawyer for people who cannot afford one and need one in the interests of justice. People who get legal aid may have to repay part or all of their legal aid costs. Interest will be charged six months after your case has been finalised at the rate of 6 per cent per year. This interest rate is the same as the government’s capital charge rate which is set by Treasury’s public sector discount rate.’’
Earlier yesterday, the man successfully made a final attempt to keep his name a secret by appealing to the Supreme Court. The New Zealand media would have been able to publish the 28-year-old’s name for the first time after the Court of Appeal ruling was released.
However, 31⁄2 hours before the Court of Appeal decision was to be released, the man’s lawyer filed a notice of an appeal.
At 10.50am, the Supreme Court ordered the man’s name suppression to continue until a further order of the court.
At trial, the man had defence lawyers Ian Brookie, Ron Mansfield and Claire Farquhar. Rachael Reed QC then represented him at the Court Of Appeal.
In the decision released yesterday, Justice Kos said trial judge Justice Simon Moore did not err in removing the issue of consent from the jury’s consideration other than in relation to manslaughter. ‘‘The court also finds no credible narrative of consent, or honest belief in consent, established on the evidence.’’
At the Court of Appeal in August, Reed said there were four grounds on which the trial process had miscarried.
After Millane’s death, the killer took intimate photos of her body, searched for pornography and went on a Tinder date with another woman.
He then buried Millane in West Auckland’s Waita¯ kere Range.
In the Court of Appeal judgment, Justice Kos said Justice Moore was correct in finding Millane was particularly vulnerable at the time of her death. Justice Kos also said the accused’s behaviour afterwards – including his disregard for her, his failure to call for assistance, the internet searches, taking intimate photos of her and also going on another date – showed the murder was committed with a high degree of callousness.
‘‘We conclude that this behaviour is indicative of a degree of wholly selfregarding wickedness throughout the incident and its aftermath.’’
The family of Grace Millane have thanked the Court of Appeal for their decision in dismissing her killer’s appeal.
The Millane family released a statement thanking the judges, police and also New Zealanders for their support.
They thanked Detective Inspector Scott Beard, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Brand, Detective Sergeant Tony McKenzie and Detective Toni Jordan ‘‘for their hard work, dedication and unflinching support’’.
‘‘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,’’ the statement said.
They said 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.’’