A New Zealand man has been found guilty of murdering the 21-year-old British backpacker Grace Millane at the end of a two-week trial in Auckland.

Ms Millane was strangled, stuffed in a suitcase and buried in the bush after going on a Tinder date with the defendant, 27, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He told the jury she had died accidentally during “rough sex”, but prosecutors said the man killed the backpacker deliberately to fulfil a “morbid sexual interest”, taking seven “trophy” photographs of her body and then going on a second date with another woman before he had disposed of Ms Millane’s body.

The defendant showed no emotion as the jury unanimously found him guilty after five hours of deliberations.

Ms Millane, from Wickford in Essex, had been travelling through New Zealand as part of a planned year-long round-the-world trip after graduating from the University of Lincoln.

Ms Millane’s parents, who have been present in the public gallery throughout the trial, wept as the verdict was read out. Speaking outside the courtroom, her father David Millane said Grace “did not deserve to be murdered in such a barbaric way during her gap year”.

Alongside his wife Gillian, Mr Millane said: “The verdict of murder today will be welcomed by every member of the Millane family and friends of Grace. It will not reduce the pain and suffering we have had to endure over the past year.

“Grace was taken in the most brutal fashion a year ago and our lives have been ripped apart. Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever.”

Justice Simon Moore referred the case for sentencing on 21 February. The man is expected to face a mandatory life sentence, under which he will not be eligible for parole for a minimum of 10 years.

Ms Millane died on either 1 or 2 December 2018 – the latter being the date of her 22nd birthday. After she was reported missing, Mr Millane flew to New Zealand and joined local authorities in a week-long search effort before her body was eventually found.

In his closing statement, crown prosecutor Brian Dickey told the jury at Auckland High Court that after Ms Millane’s death, the defendant watched pornography, arranged another Tinder date and searched the internet for the Waitakere Ranges, where the 21-year-old’s body was later found.

Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Show all 11 1 /11 Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' David and Gillian Millane (second from right and right) arrive at Auckland High Court, in New Zealand, on Wednesday, 6 November, 2019, for the start of their daughter Grace Millane's murder trial. The body of the 21-year-old British backpacker was found in a forest area near Auckland on 9 December, 2018 - a week after she was last seen. Michael Craig/NZ Herald via AP Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' The parents of Grace Millane, David and Gillian Millane, arrive at Auckland High Court with Detective Inspector Scott Beard, 6 November, 2019. Phil Walter/Getty Images Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Candles and flowers are laid next to a photo of Grace Millane during a vigil at Civic Square Park in Wellington on 12 December, 2018. Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Defence lawyers Ian Brookie (left) and Ron Mansfield (right) arrive at Auckland High Court, 6 November, 2019. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey arrives at Auckland High Court, 6 November, 2019. Phil Walter/Getty Images Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Auckland High Court Fiona Goodall/Getty Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' People place candles and flowers next to a photo of Grace Millane during a vigil at Civic Square Park in Wellington on 12 December, 2018. Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' David Millane speaks at a press conference in Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 December, 2018, while his daughter Grace Millane is still missing. Doug Sherring/NZ Herald via AP Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Undated photo issued by the Lucie Blackman Trust of 22-year-old British backpacker, Grace Millane, who is missing in New Zealand. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday December 7, 2018. Ms Millane, from Essex, was on a year-long round-the-world trip, but was last seen in Auckland at 9.41pm at the Citylife Hotel on December 1. See PA story MISSING Auckland. Photo credit should read: Lucie Blackman Trust /PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Lucie Blackman Trust Lucie Blackman Trust/PA Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' CCTV still image issued by Auckland City Police of one of the last sightings of Grace Millane. Auckland City Police/PA Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout photo issued by Auckland City Police of Briton Grace Millane, 22, who is missing in New Zealand. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Thursday December 6, 2018. Ms Millane, who is reportedly from Essex, was last seen in Auckland on Saturday night and police said they are growing increasingly concerned for her welfare. See PA story MISSING Auckland. Photo credit should read: Auckland City Police/PA Wire. NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Auckland City Police/PA

Mr Dickey told the murder trial that the defendant was “seeking total domination and some sort of weird thrill over women who were his sexual partners”.

Addressing jurors before they delivered their verdict, Justice Moore said they had to be certain the man had murderous intent when he put his hands on Ms Millane’s neck during sexual intercourse to convict him of murder, The New Zealand Herald reported.

Mr Moore asked: “Are you sure that when he applied pressure to Ms Millane’s neck... Did he intend to cause injury?”

He further asked them to consider if the accused was willing to take the chance of Ms Millane dying due to his actions. “If yes, then [the defendant] is guilty of murder,” the judge said.

“In other words, [he] must have appreciated Ms Millane’s death was a likely consequence... but was willing to run that risk.”

The court had been told Ms Millane had an interest in BDSM, with a previous sexual partner testifying they had used safe words and physical tapping to indicate when physical pressure became overwhelming.

During the trial, the jurors heard from forensic experts who examined the accused’s apartment for blood stains as well as Ms Millane’s body after her death.

They were also shown footage of Ms Millane and the defendant drinking at various bars throughout Auckland and kissing before they returned to his apartment.

Video footage from the lift of her exiting on the third floor marked the last recorded time Ms Millane was seen alive.

The confirmation of Ms Millane’s death was met with shock in New Zealand, a country with one of the lowest murder rates in the world.

After the defendant first appeared in court, New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern issued an emotional public apology to the Millane family. “Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasn’t,” she said. “And I’m sorry for that.”