The lead detective in the Grace Millane murder revealed he travelled to the UK and stayed with her family, saying the visit was good for him and Grace’s loved ones.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard spoke to The Nutters Club on Newstalk ZB about what spending time with Grace’s mother, Gillian, meant to them both and the conversations she cannot have with “anyone else”.

This week marks the sixth anniversary of Grace’s death and what would have been the British tourist’s 28th birthday.

She was strangled to death by Jesse Kempson in his central-city apartment in 2018, after connecting with him through a dating app.

Gillian Millane with her daughter, murdered British tourist Grace Millane.

Kempson put Grace’s body in a suitcase and buried her in a shallow grave in the Waitākere Ranges.

In 2019, a jury found him guilty of her murder and he was sentenced to life in prison.In November 2020, Kempson was convicted on eight charges relating to offending against his former partner including sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, threatening to kill, assault with a weapon and male assaults female.

The Millane family suffered a further cruel blow when Grace’s father, David, died of cancer in 2020.

Beard was the lead detective on the case and has stayed in close contact with the Millane family since the case and visited Gillian Millane in the UK this year.

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“She can’t talk to her friends or family about a lot of things, but she could talk to me.

“And there were a couple of times at breakfast where we spoke for about three hours.”

Grace Millane, 22, was killed on December 2, 2018.

Beard said Gillian was able to see the “real Scott Beard”, not only the detective the world saw six years ago.

He said during the stay the pair frequented her local pub and talked over a drink about the case and its aftermath.

“And it was important for her in terms of her, I wouldn’t say moving on, that’s not quite the right word – she will never have back what she really wants.

“But it was good for her and good for me.”

Beard acknowledged today’s significant date for the family and said he would be messaging Gillian today.

He said although the investigation was short, the long hours and the emotion of the case took a toll on him.

Beard said one of the worst moments during the case was showing Millane’s parents the last video of her alive, walking out of the elevator at City Life hotel.

After the trial, he said he forced himself to “take a step back” and reassess his mental health.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.