Grace Millane murder case: Supreme Court to release suppression decision on killer at 11am

The Supreme Court will soon release its decision on whether the identity of the man who murdered British backpacker Grace Millane will be published.

A judgment from the country's top court is expected at 11am today.

Supreme Court decision determining whether man convicted of Grace Millane’s murder will be granted final opportunity to appeal against lifting of name suppression will be released online 11 am Tuesday 22 Decemberhttps://t.co/eAjUJ1yiSz pic.twitter.com/GN8eK7BqY4

— Courts of New Zealand (@CourtsofNZ) December 21, 2020

The killer's identity was due to be revealed last Friday morning, as ordered by the Court of Appeal but, just minutes before the deadline, the Supreme Court intervened and kept suppression in place until it made a decision.

Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann, and Justices William Young and Mark O'Regan gave the killer's legal team until 5pm last Friday to file their arguments, while the Crown and media were ordered to do the same by 10am yesterday.

If the suppression is lifted, it will end an order the killer has maintained since his first court appearance after murdering Millane in December 2018.

Last week, the Court of Appeal also delivered its decision on the killer's appeal of his conviction and sentence for fatally strangling Millane, whom he met on the dating app Tinder, in his Auckland apartment.

Both appeals were dismissed.

However, the man continues to claim his innocence and asserts Millane died during rough sex. He has already said a second appeal to the Supreme Court will occur.

Grace Millane's killer continues to have suppression. Photo / Michael Craig