A criminology student has been found guilty of the “senseless” murder of one woman and the attempted murder of another following a stabbing attack on Bournemouth beach.
On May 24, 2023, 34-year-old Amie Gray was killed and 38-year-old Leanne Miles seriously injured in a random attack at Durley Chine Beach.
Nasen Saadi, 20, from Croydon, was convicted of the murder and attempted murder after a trial at Winchester Crown Court.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to provide police with access to his mobile phone.
Prosecutors stated that Saadi seemed to have a morbid curiosity about taking a life. Benjamin May, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, called the attack “senseless” and noted that it shocked the Bournemouth community.
“Though both victims were chosen at random, Saadi’s unexplainable desire to commit murder was supported by extensive planning, including efforts to avoid capture,” May said.
“Now that he has been convicted, I hope he will be forgotten.”
Speaking outside the court on behalf of Ms. Miles, who was married to Ms.
Gray, Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins of Dorset Police said: “Amie’s life has been brutally taken, but now she can rest in peace.”
The jury deliberated for over five hours and reached a verdict after a nine-day trial.
Judge Mrs. Justice Cutts told Saadi: “You have been convicted of the most serious of crimes.”
She added that he would face a life sentence with a significant minimum term.
On the night of the attack, Gray and Miles were sitting on the sand with a fire when Saadi, seen on CCTV footage, approached and attacked them before leaving them to bleed.
Ms. Gray, a fitness instructor, was declared dead at the scene, while Ms. Miles suffered 20 knife wounds, primarily to her back.
Saadi, a criminology student at the University of Greenwich, was arrested on May 28 at his aunt’s house in Purley, where police found several knives and self-defense spray in a bedroom.
No weapon or clothing from the night of the attack was recovered during the investigation.
During his police interview, Saadi mentioned an interest in unsolved crimes, such as the Setagaya family murders in Japan.
Investigators discovered internet searches on his laptop for terms like “deadliest knife,”
“Why is it harder for a criminal to be caught in another town?” and “What hotels don’t have CCTV in the UK?”
He had also researched “Bournemouth CCTV” and “Bournemouth pier CCTV” just days before the attack.
CCTV footage shown in court revealed Saadi traveled from Croydon to Bournemouth on May 21 and conducted surveillance of the area, checking into various hotels before the murder.
When questioned by detectives about his actions, Saadi claimed to have “blacked out” and was unable to remember the events.
He also denied his involvement after being shown the CCTV footage, asserting it was a case of “mistaken identity.”
Saadi did not testify in his defense, and his lawyer did not present any further evidence.
He is scheduled to be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on March 28.
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