Millane family backs new law
AUCKLAND: The family of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane is backing the introduction of a new law that will result in the the ban of a roughsex defence being used for murder.
The law is set to come into effect in England and Wales this year.
It comes just over two years after Miss Millane was killed during a Tinder date while on a trip in Auckland in December 2018. The date happened on the eve of her 22nd birthday.
Auckland man Jesse Kempson was later charged with her murder and is serving 17 years in prison.
He had earlier claimed that the university student died during a roughsex session.
Back home in the UK, Miss Millane ’s family welcomed the new legislation and said it would stop victims being revictimised in court.
Relative Hannah O’Callaghan told the BBC that it was ‘‘truly horrendous’’ to have to hear her cousin’s killer in court.
‘‘It felt like Grace was on trial — yet not able to defend herself.
‘‘It needs to be called what it really is and that’s murder and you cannot consent to that,’’ she told the network.
‘‘Families won’t have to sit and listen to only one side of the story, while the victim is revictimised and doesn’t get to tell their side.’’
Ms O’Callaghan said she hoped the new law would mean that no other family would have to go through what they went through — and that men would stop using the roughsex defence as an excuse to kill women, knowing they could get a lesser sentence.
The Millane case made headlines around the world when the young woman’s family reported her missing after she failed to respond to messages wishing her a happy birthday in early December 2018.
Her disappearance sparked a huge search and police investigation; before authorities revealed that they believed she was no longer alive and that the case was now being treated as a homicide.
The young woman’s body was found a few days later in the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland. — The New Zealand Herald