Grace Millane’s killer blamed her death on “rough sex”.

Kempson was accused of erotising Grace’s death, both immediately after the fact, and throughout the trial, by his ongoing claims she enjoyed rough sex. 

But Kempson’s victim-blaming claims were rejected by the 12 jurors, and after three weeks of evidence, and a year since Grace’s death, he was found guilty of murder. 

The rough sex defence, and the media’s reporting of the case, angered advocacy groups. 

Fiona Mackenzie, founder of the campaign group, We Can’t Consent to This, described the events as the “ultimate victim blaming”. 

“He gets to tell the story of what she was like and how she asked for it,” she told media at the time. 

“Families not only lose their loved one but these men steal the public perception of them and destroy their reputation. It’s appalling.”

Kempson was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years. 

According to the documentary, between 1972 and 2022, at least 60 defendants in the UK alone have used the “rough sex” defence, with 45 per cent resulting in a less change, lighter sentence, acquittal, or the case not being pursued. The Lie is streaming on Netflix now. 

Feature image: Lucie Blackman Trust. 

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