Grace Millane: The full victim impact statements from murdered backpacker's family

The relatives of murdered backpacker Grace Millane have told her killer their family has been “ripped apart” by her death and will “never be the same”.

Their statements, broadcast to the killer in court in Auckland by video link, came after the 28-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was sentenced to life in prison for her murder.

Grace, from Essex, was backpacking in New Zealand when she matched and met with her killer on dating app Tinder. She was murdered in his flat.

Speaking after he was sentenced, Gillian Millane, Grace’s mother, told the court: “Her tragic life, cut short by your wilful, cruel actions.

“You took it upon yourself to murder my beautiful Grace, an innocent young lady.

“On a daily basis, I torment myself over what you did to my Grace.

“The terror and pain, she must have experienced at your hands.

“As a mother, I would have done anything to change places with her.

“I sit, full of guilt, knowing I couldn’t help her, that I should have been there.

“She died terrified and alone in a room with you.

“You have ripped a hole in my heart, one that will never be repaired.

“You walked into our lives and destroyed Grace, in the pursuit of your own sexual gratification.

Visibly upset, Gillian paused and said: “Now my family will never be the same.

“So many other innocent people, including your own family, have had their world destroyed.

“I will miss my darling Grace, until the last breath in my body leaves me.”

Grace’s brother David said the family was “ripped apart” when she went missing in December 2018.

“The following weeks were the hardest and worst weeks of my life,” he told the court via video link,

“I remember taking the phone call from my dad, telling me that Grace’s body had been found, and I just remember I was instantly sick.

“Ever since December 2018, I cannot close my eyes without reliving that month of not knowing what happened to my sister.

“The thought of how scared she must have been... I could have done nothing to help her.

“As an older brother, I felt a duty to protect my little sister, but there was nothing I could do, I was helpless and lost.”