Asia-Pacific

Man charged with murder of backpacker in New Zealand

Grace Millane went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1st

Grace Millane, 22, who is missing in New Zealand. The disappearance of the British backpacker is being treated as a suspected murder, police said. Photograph:: Lucie Blackman Trust/PA Wire
Grace Millane, 22, who is missing in New Zealand. The disappearance of the British backpacker is being treated as a suspected murder, police said. Photograph:: Lucie Blackman Trust/PA Wire
Sat Dec 08 2018 - 11:19

A man will be charged with the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane in New Zealand.

The 26-year-old man has been speaking with police in Auckland in relation to her disappearance, officers said.

Ms Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1st.

New Zealand police said the man will remain in custody until Monday morning, when he will appear in the Auckland District Court.

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Ms Millane, from Essex in England was described as a "lovely, outgoing, fun-loving, family-orientated daughter" by her father, David Millane.

She graduated from the University of Lincoln in September and had embarked on a year-long worldwide trip.

After visiting Peru, she arrived in New Zealand on November 20th and had been in near-daily contact with her family until December 1st — the day before her 22nd birthday.

The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm the same day at the Citylife Hotel in central Auckland, when she was seen with a “male companion”. – PA