British backpacker Grace Millane was a “naive” member of multiple BDSM dating sites — and encouraged partners to choke her during sex, according to evidence introduced at the trial of her accused killer in New Zealand.
Police found records of chats the 21-year-old had sharing her fetishes on explicit bondage, domination and sadomasochism sites such as FetLife and Whiplr, Auckland High Court was told, according to the New Zealand Herald.
They included one chat on Dec. 1 last year — the day she died after sex with a 27-year-old New Zealand man after a Tinder date, according to statements from police read into evidence.
The man on trial, who cannot be identified by order of the court, claims Millane died accidentally after “violent sex.” He says he only buried her body in a suitcase in the woods because he was in “shock” and knew how “terrible” the death would look to police.
According to the new evidence, one of the men she chatted with online told police she appeared to be “at an explorative stage and quite open to suggestions” but was “quite open to it and wanted to try it.”
“I felt like Grace was more naive and trusting in the BDSM area. The users could be any undesirable person online, and Grace had a naivety,” he said, according to police records.
An ex-partner also said Millane encouraged him to choke her during sex, according to a statement read in court, The Sun said.
“Grace and I would have a safe word,” he said, according to the report, saying they also had a “tapping” code so she could let him know when she needed him to stop.
“Grace would be sure to do this and I trusted that anytime it was too much for Grace, she would do this.
“Grace and I were careful to discuss not only the physical but the psychological aspects to practicing BDSM,” he said.
Another friend also provided a statement saying the University of Essex graduate “enjoyed her partner to put his hands around her neck,” according to the report.
“Grace referred to enjoying a bit of rough sex sometimes when you’re having one of those nights when you’re really, really attracted to one another or when you were particularly turned on,” the friend said.
“I had the impression that it was normally regular sex but maybe rougher when she was more turned on.”
The defense has closed its case, with the defendant choosing not to give evidence. Closing speeches will be made Thursday before the judge is expected to sum up the case Friday.