A man has been charged by police with breaching a court-ordered suppression order relating to Grace Millane's murderer.
On November 22, a 27-year-old man was found guilty by a jury of seven women and five men of killing the British backpacker at the Auckland Central CityLife hotel in December last year. Despite his conviction, the man continues to have name suppression.
On Friday, police confirmed to Newshub that a 63-year-old Auckland man had been charged with breaching a court suppression order, becoming the first person to be arrested in relation to the court orders.
He will appear in the Auckland District Court on January 20.
On the day after the conviction, the case's lead detective, Detective Inspector Scott Beard, issued a warning to the public.
"Although the homicide trial concluded yesterday, a suppression order which prevents naming the defendant remains in place and will do so until lifted by the court," said Det Insp Beard.
"While we appreciate the public feeling around this case, we do want to remind the public that it is an offence to breach a court order such as a name suppression - this includes naming someone on social media."
His identity was also revealed last year after Google named him in a news email.
Justice Minister Andrew Little said at the time breaching the murderer's name suppression is a serious breach of judicial law.
"The suppression orders handed down by the New Zealand court have to be adhered to in New Zealand," he said.
"If that means a name is suppressed for whatever period of time then we've got to abide by that."
Millane's murderer will be sentenced in February.
