Jesse Shane Kempson: who is Grace Millane’s killer and why couldn’t he be named under New Zealand law?

The man who murdered British backpacker Grace Millane has been named as Jesse Kempson, just one month after the death of the victim’s father David Millane

Two years after her murder Grace Millane's killer has been named as Jesse Kempson (Getty Images)

Jesse Shane Kempson, the killer of Ms Millane, can now be named, two years after he murdered the British citizen.

On Tuesday New Zealand’s Supreme Court ruled that he could be named after he was convicted of two further violent offences in front of a judge in October and November.

The Guardian reported that one of the further offences that Kempson was found guilty of was the rape of another British tourist just months before Ms Millane’s death.

The victim was also a British tourist who he met on the dating app, according to the Guardian.

The paper says he raped the tourist when she refused sex after a date.

Kempson was also convicted of threatening to kill, two charges of assault with a weapon, three assaults and two counts of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection at a trial in October, court documents state.

Why was Jesse Kempson not named?

Kempson was allowed to keep his name secret through the court proceedings as his defence counsel argued naming him would prevent him getting a fair trial.

He won an interim name supression order after appeal, with the judge who presided over the trial extending this.

It was anticipated that Kempson would be named following his guilty verdict in 2019, but the New Zealand national was granted anonymity until he was convicted of further violent crimes on Tuesday.

Publications outside of New Zealand had already named the killer before the supression order was lifted.

Who is Jesse Kempson?

Jesse Kempson is a convicted murderer and rapist, and pathological liar according to friends and acquaintances.

The Wellington-born 28-year-old, said to be estranged from his mother, has been accused of frequently lying about his wealth and career prior to the murder of Grace Millane.

Lies include, claiming to be a part of a professional softball team, bragging about connections to the police and gangs, and pretending to be a senior manager in the mining industry.

In his early 20s he is said to have become obsessed with dating apps.

What happened to Grace Millane?

Jesse Kempson murdered Ms Millane by strangling her in a hotel in Auckland after meeting her via Tinder on December 1, 2018 – the day before her 22nd birthday.

Ms Millane’s body was later found in a suitcase buried in a forested area outside the city.

The man claimed Ms Millane died accidentally after the pair engaged in rough sex that went too far.

A jury in November rejected that argument and found the man guilty.