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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/grace-millane-trial-cctv-footage-shows-uk-backpackers-final-hours
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| Grace Millane murder trial: CCTV footage shows UK backpacker's final hours | Grace Millane murder trial: CCTV footage shows UK backpacker's final hours |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Vision shows Millane and the man accused of her murder drinking at different bars in Auckland | Vision shows Millane and the man accused of her murder drinking at different bars in Auckland |
| The parents of British backpacker Grace Millane have watched CCTV footage of the last hours of their daughter’s life as it was played to a court room in Auckland on Thursday. | The parents of British backpacker Grace Millane have watched CCTV footage of the last hours of their daughter’s life as it was played to a court room in Auckland on Thursday. |
| The footage was part of a detailed timeline presented to the high court in the murder trial of a man, whose identity has been suppressed, who is accused of killing the 21-year-old during a Tinder date. | The footage was part of a detailed timeline presented to the high court in the murder trial of a man, whose identity has been suppressed, who is accused of killing the 21-year-old during a Tinder date. |
| Millane went missing in Auckland in December and was found dead days later, her body crammed inside a suitcase buried in scrubland outside the city. | Millane went missing in Auckland in December and was found dead days later, her body crammed inside a suitcase buried in scrubland outside the city. |
| Millane’s parents, David and Gillian, were in court to watch extensive CCTV footage shown to the jury of their daughter leaving the backpacker hostel she was staying at and stroll along Federal Street in central Auckland just before 6pm on 1 December. She was on her way to meet the 27-year-old New Zealand man accused of murdering her by strangulation later that night. | Millane’s parents, David and Gillian, were in court to watch extensive CCTV footage shown to the jury of their daughter leaving the backpacker hostel she was staying at and stroll along Federal Street in central Auckland just before 6pm on 1 December. She was on her way to meet the 27-year-old New Zealand man accused of murdering her by strangulation later that night. |
| The footage showed Millane, dressed in a black dress and white sneakers, meeting the accused outside the Sky City building in the city centre. The pair greeted each other with a hug and a brief kiss on the cheek before going for drinks at Andy’s Burger Bar. | The footage showed Millane, dressed in a black dress and white sneakers, meeting the accused outside the Sky City building in the city centre. The pair greeted each other with a hug and a brief kiss on the cheek before going for drinks at Andy’s Burger Bar. |
| At 7.16 pm, the pair strolled to the Mexican Cafe, and together drank two jugs of margarita and one of Sangria, which the accused paid for. In the CCTV footage, Millane appears relaxed. | At 7.16 pm, the pair strolled to the Mexican Cafe, and together drank two jugs of margarita and one of Sangria, which the accused paid for. In the CCTV footage, Millane appears relaxed. |
| Around 8.30pm the couple walked to the Bluestone Room, situated across the road from CityLife hotel where Millane later died, and the pair ordered more drinks and sat together at a table in the corner – kissing repeatedly, with the accused hooking his arm around Millane’s neck and repeatedly drawing her close to him. When Millane walked away from the table the accused could be seen picking up her handbag and looking through its contents. | Around 8.30pm the couple walked to the Bluestone Room, situated across the road from CityLife hotel where Millane later died, and the pair ordered more drinks and sat together at a table in the corner – kissing repeatedly, with the accused hooking his arm around Millane’s neck and repeatedly drawing her close to him. When Millane walked away from the table the accused could be seen picking up her handbag and looking through its contents. |
| The accused closely watched the CCTV footage from the dock on Thursday, his face largely impassive. | |
| The defence lawyer Ian Brookie said the footage appeared to show “the pair were getting along very well during the date”. | The defence lawyer Ian Brookie said the footage appeared to show “the pair were getting along very well during the date”. |
| “It’s clear they were holding hands as they walked,” he said. | “It’s clear they were holding hands as they walked,” he said. |
| Detective Adam Bicknell, the officer in charge of CCTV acquisition for the Millane missing person’s investigation, agreed that the pair were, at times, holding hands. | Detective Adam Bicknell, the officer in charge of CCTV acquisition for the Millane missing person’s investigation, agreed that the pair were, at times, holding hands. |
| “Can I just ask you about alcohol please,” Brookie said, before proceeding to take Bicknell through a list of drinks the couple consumed on the night, which totalled more than 25 between them. | “Can I just ask you about alcohol please,” Brookie said, before proceeding to take Bicknell through a list of drinks the couple consumed on the night, which totalled more than 25 between them. |
| The last footage of Millane alive was captured by a CCTV camera in the CityLife hotel at 9.41pm, where she entered the accused’s hotel room on level three. | The last footage of Millane alive was captured by a CCTV camera in the CityLife hotel at 9.41pm, where she entered the accused’s hotel room on level three. |
| A friend of Millane’s from Lincoln university, Ameena Ashcroft, was messaging Millane on Facebook messenger throughout her date with the accused. | A friend of Millane’s from Lincoln university, Ameena Ashcroft, was messaging Millane on Facebook messenger throughout her date with the accused. |
| Ashcroft said her alarm bells rang when Millane described her date as “an oil manager” who lived in a hotel, but Ashcroft was tired from travelling and didn’t want to over-react. | Ashcroft said her alarm bells rang when Millane described her date as “an oil manager” who lived in a hotel, but Ashcroft was tired from travelling and didn’t want to over-react. |
| “I was a bit concerned but I didn’t show Grace that I was,” Ashcroft said in her evidence, which was read out in court by the crown prosecution. | “I was a bit concerned but I didn’t show Grace that I was,” Ashcroft said in her evidence, which was read out in court by the crown prosecution. |
| “I thought something seemed out of place.” | “I thought something seemed out of place.” |
| The friends messaged back and fourth sporadically while Millane and the accused visited various bars and restaurants. Millane told Ashcroft that the accused was coming to London next year. | The friends messaged back and fourth sporadically while Millane and the accused visited various bars and restaurants. Millane told Ashcroft that the accused was coming to London next year. |
| “Mate he lives in a hotel,” Millane messaged Ashcroft. | “Mate he lives in a hotel,” Millane messaged Ashcroft. |
| Ashcroft said in her statement: “I sensed Grace was having a good time and she seemed to be drunk and really enjoying herself. | Ashcroft said in her statement: “I sensed Grace was having a good time and she seemed to be drunk and really enjoying herself. |
| “I do not think Grace had any concerns for her safety when I was in contact with her.” | “I do not think Grace had any concerns for her safety when I was in contact with her.” |
| Grace messaged Ashcroft: “I click with him so well,” and, “I will let you know what happens tomorrow”. | Grace messaged Ashcroft: “I click with him so well,” and, “I will let you know what happens tomorrow”. |
| Ashcroft said while Millane had been active on dating apps Tinder and Bumble while in the UK, her “outgoing, happy” friend viewed sex as an intimate act, and took, if anything, a conservative approach to it. | Ashcroft said while Millane had been active on dating apps Tinder and Bumble while in the UK, her “outgoing, happy” friend viewed sex as an intimate act, and took, if anything, a conservative approach to it. |
| “Grace never met someone with the intention to sleep with them. It’s an intimate thing for Grace to sleep with someone. Grace would have to be quite trusting and happy with that person,” Ashcroft said in her statement. | “Grace never met someone with the intention to sleep with them. It’s an intimate thing for Grace to sleep with someone. Grace would have to be quite trusting and happy with that person,” Ashcroft said in her statement. |
| “Police have asked me if Grace ever talked to me about props or aids and I have never heard Grace talk about anything like that. Police have asked me if Grace ever spoke to me about BDSM or any aspect of it and she has not.” | “Police have asked me if Grace ever talked to me about props or aids and I have never heard Grace talk about anything like that. Police have asked me if Grace ever spoke to me about BDSM or any aspect of it and she has not.” |
| On Wednesday, the jury of seven men and five women was asked to decide whether Millane was murdered by her date after the pair went to his apartment, or whether she died by accident during consensual sex. | On Wednesday, the jury of seven men and five women was asked to decide whether Millane was murdered by her date after the pair went to his apartment, or whether she died by accident during consensual sex. |
| “Only two people know what happened in that room,” said Robin McCoubrey, who opened the prosecution case in the Auckland high court. “One of them can’t tell us, and the other hasn’t told the truth about what happened.” | “Only two people know what happened in that room,” said Robin McCoubrey, who opened the prosecution case in the Auckland high court. “One of them can’t tell us, and the other hasn’t told the truth about what happened.” |
| Millane, from Wickford in Essex, died sometime during the night of her 22nd birthday in December. She was on a round-the-world holiday after completing her university degree in England when she arrived in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, in November last year. | Millane, from Wickford in Essex, died sometime during the night of her 22nd birthday in December. She was on a round-the-world holiday after completing her university degree in England when she arrived in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, in November last year. |
| Her disappearance and news of her death generated a national outpouring of grief, vigils around New Zealand, and a national discussion about violence against women. | Her disappearance and news of her death generated a national outpouring of grief, vigils around New Zealand, and a national discussion about violence against women. |
| The accused man, 27 faces a murder trial due to last at least four weeks. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. | The accused man, 27 faces a murder trial due to last at least four weeks. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. |