A 28-year-old
New Zealand man who killed
British backpacker Grace Millane has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years, according to the BBC.
The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of her murder at Auckland High Court in November.
Prosecutors said he strangled her and shoved her body inside a suitcase before burying her.
The victim’s mother, Gillian Millane, appeared at the hearing at Auckland’s High Court via videolink and addressed the defendant directly, telling him her daughter “died terrified and alone in your room”, according to the New Zealand Herald.
The man in the dock kept his head bowed, rubbed his face and had his eyes closed, the newspaper reported.
The man had claimed Grace’s death was accidental and occurred during rough sexual intercourse.
Grace and her killer had connected through the dating app Tinder and met in Auckland on December 1, 2018.
The defendant had been accused of killing Grace, from Wickford, Essex, before burying her in a forested area outside Auckland.
Jurors has been shown security footage of Grace, who would have turned 22 in December, and the defendant drinking in various bars throughout the city.
Security footage showed the pair kiss repeatedly at the Bluestone Room before walking arm-in-arm a short distance into the lobby of the CityHigh hotel where the defendant was staying.
Grace was shown to follow the defendant out of the lift at 9.41pm. It was the last time she was seen alive.This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost
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