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‘WEPT FOR HIMSELF’

Grace Millane – Killer’s step brother begs forgiveness from her family adding sibling ‘hasn’t a shred of good in him’

THE step brother of Grace Millane's killer has begged forgiveness from her family, saying his sibling "doesn’t have a shred of decency inside him".

The murderer was today convicted of strangling the British backpacker to death during sex and burying the 21-year-old in a suitcase in Auckland last year.

 Grace with her killer, pictured hours before her death
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Grace with her killer, pictured hours before her deathCredit: PA:Press Association
 Grace Millane was murdered on December 1, 2018, the eve of her 22nd birthday
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Grace Millane was murdered on December 1, 2018, the eve of her 22nd birthdayCredit: Facebook
Grace Millane trial: Jury sees police interview in which killer says pair talked about 50 Shades of Grey and how he put backpacker's body in suitcase

Despite the guilty verdict the 27-year-old killer's identity can still not be revealed for legal reasons.

His shocked sibling has said how details of Grace's gruesome death on December 1, 2018, must have been "incredibly hard" on the family.

'JUSTICE WAS SERVED'

He said he "shed a few tears" on hearing of the conviction.

"So glad for Grace's family," he told the .

"It doesn't make anything better, but [it's] good to know the jury and New Zealand justice system made the right call."

The three-week trial heard intimate details of Grace's sex life that went into minute detail about the final night of her life after meeting her killer on a Tinder date.

Jurors rejected the defence claim that the death was accidental and occurred during rough sexual intercourse.

A three-week trial at Auckland High Court heard that the murderer was a fantasist who would tell potential sexual partners that he had celebrity connections, had been orphaned and even had cancer.

It also emerged he was an incessant liar who "fell out with everybody and was shunned by family for stealing", the Herald reported.

 Grace Millane was a university graduate from Wickford, Essex
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Grace Millane was a university graduate from Wickford, EssexCredit: Press Association Images
 CCTV captured her in a lift with the suspect, thought to be the last image of her alive
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CCTV captured her in a lift with the suspect, thought to be the last image of her alive
 Grace Millane's heartbroken parents, David and Gillian, weep as they address media outside Auckland High Court
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Grace Millane's heartbroken parents, David and Gillian, weep as they address media outside Auckland High CourtCredit: AP:Associated Press
Grace Millane murder trial - Jurors watch backpacker's killer in his first police interview

'JUST TERRIBLE'

His sibling agreed his brother was a "pathological liar".

"[He] lies over pointless things and continues to lie until the point where he's got no out, absolutely no out, and then he breaks downs and cries and runs away," he told One News.

"But he can't do it any more, thankfully, just absolutely terrible that a life had to be lost because of that."

Despite the unanimous verdict of murder, the sibling says he didn't think it was his intention to take Grace's life.

"It's in that moment, yes he had the opportunity and he kept going and took Grace's life," he said.

He doesn't have any shred of a decent human being inside of him and couldn't just confess to the fact that he murdered her."

Step brother of Grace Millane's killer

"I don't think it's a violence thing. To me, I think it was power. It was just in a split moment, he enjoyed the power and kept going."

But he said the tears shed by his stepbrother in front of police were more "tears for himself" than for Millane.

The killer's father - his stepfather - would be "in pieces" after sitting through the trial, he said.

He also paid tribute to the Millane family, who were in tears as they spoke after Friday's verdict.

"I'm just so incredibly sorry for their loss," he said.

"To know it's one of our family members, even though it's not from our actions, is very difficult and I can't imagine the pain and hurt and what they've got to go through court, hearing all the stuff about BDSM and all the actions... it's just so ridiculous."

"And to me that's because he doesn't have any shred of a decent human being inside of him and couldn't just confess to the fact that he murdered her."

Grace's killer is due to be sentenced in February next year.

 Grace's killer, pictured at an earlier court appearance, is due to be sentenced in February 2020 but cannot be named for legal reasons
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Grace's killer, pictured at an earlier court appearance, is due to be sentenced in February 2020 but cannot be named for legal reasons
Brit Grace Millane seen hugging Tinder date murderer who would strangle her hours later in chilling CCTV
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