Grace Millane: Alleged murderer says ‘it didn’t seem right’ as he forced British woman’s dead body into suitcase

‘I was just in shock the whole time,’ claims 27-year-old defendant

The man accused of murdering Grace Millane told police it “didn’t feel right” to force her remains into a suitcase as he admitted disposing of her body, according to reports.

The British backpacker was allegedly strangled to death the night before her 22nd birthday in December after going on a date with the 27-year-old defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

A New Zealand court heard that he broke down during his second formal interview with police, telling them Ms Millane died accidentally while in his company following a bout of consensual rough sex. He denies murdering her.

He told officers he used a suitcase to hide her body, the New Zealand Herald and others reported.

The man had previously claimed to have parted ways with Ms Millane earlier in the night.

In his second interview, the man also told police he tried to take a fatal overdose following Ms Millane’s death, before recounting his attempt to cover it up.

“I was just in shock the whole time. I couldn’t put her in [the suitcase] because it just didn’t seem right,” he told officers.

Previously, jurors were shown a cache of security footage depicting Ms Millane and the defendant drinking together and kissing in bars in Auckland before they went back to CityLife hotel at 9.40pm.

They heard how Ms Millane had texted a friend to say she and the defendant “clicked so well” together, and that she “wanted to get smashed with him”.

Phone records allegedly showed that after her death, the defendant searched online for “the hottest fire”, “large bags near me” and “Waitakere Ranges” – where Ms Millane’s body was found eight days later in a suitcase.

The court heard that he went on another Tinder date the day after Ms Millane died.

Ms Millane, of Wickford in Essex, had arrived in New Zealand in October as part of a round-the-world trip.

The trial continues.