Bournemouth beach killer Nasen Saadi found guilty of murder after stabbing young mother 10 times

A 20-year-old criminology student has been found guilty of murdering a young mother and attempting to murder her friend in a savage attack on Bournemouth beach.

Nasen Saadi, from Croydon in South London, fatally stabbed Amie Gray, 34, and repeatedly attacked Leanne Miles, 39, as they relaxed on the sand at Durley Chine beach.

Winchester Crown Court heard how Saadi, who was studying criminology and criminal psychology at Greenwich University, had meticulously planned the random attack.

The prosecution told the court that Saadi may have conducted the attack “to know what it would be like to take life” and “make women feel afraid”.

The court was shown video footage of Saadi “loitering” around his victims before launching the attack on the beach.

Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC told the court how Saadi approached the two friends “slowly, stealthily and quietly” as they enjoyed a picnic and drinks together on May 24.

The attack was captured on video and audio recordings, with the jury hearing extended screams from the victims.

Saadi chased after the women as they tried to escape, continuing his brutal assault as they attempted to divert him from one another.

The prosecution suggested he may have carried out the attack to “make him feel powerful” and “make him interesting to others”.

Saadi had booked two hotels for a four-night stay in Bournemouth, conducting detailed “recces” of the seafront and murder scene in the days before the attack.

During his stay, the horror film enthusiast went to watch a “slasher” movie called The Strangers: Chapter 1.

Three months before murdering Gray, Saadi had been accused of stalking, leading to the Metropolitan Police referring itself to the police watchdog over its handling of the complaint.

The court heard how Saadi, who moved to the UK aged four, had developed a fascination with knives and had purchased six blades from websites.

Several of these knives were later discovered at both his aunt’s house, where he was living, and his parents’ home.

Evidence of Saadi’s premeditation emerged through his disturbing internet search history, including queries about “why is it harder for a killer to be caught if he does it in another town?” and “which is the deadliest knife?”

The student used the name “Ninja Killer” for his Snapchat account and “NSkills” as his computer username.

After dropping out of a physical education course, Saadi had conducted internet searches about high-profile cases, including the Milly Dowler and Brianna Ghey killings.

While in custody, he showed a keen interest in his media coverage, asking a prison officer how much attention his case was receiving.

During the trial, Dr Lisa-Maria Reiss, a lecturer, revealed Saadi had asked questions about “how to get away with murder” during his studies.

This prompted her to directly ask him: “You’re not planning a murder are you?”

As a criminology and criminal psychology student at Greenwich University, Saadi displayed concerning behaviour that extended beyond the classroom.

Three months before the murder, he faced stalking allegations, though the details of this complaint are now subject to review.

The Metropolitan Police has referred its handling of the stalking complaint to the police watchdog.

Home Office pathologist Basil Purdue told the court that Amie Gray died from ten knife wounds, including one to the heart.

Leanne Miles suffered 20 separate knife injuries in the attack.

Gray, who worked as a personal trainer, was married with a young daughter and was described by her family as a “beautiful person inside and out”.

In a statement following the verdict, Gray’s wife Sian said: “Amie will never be forgotten. She touched the lives of so many. The immense support and love shown by everyone, reflects just that.”

“Amie’s life has been brutally taken but now she can rest in peace. Her strength lives on in all of us.”

Saadi showed little emotion as the verdict was announced, taking only a small step backwards while wearing glasses and a blue sweatshirt.

Mrs Justice Cutts adjourned the case until March 28 for a psychiatric report to be prepared before sentencing.

The judge delivered a stark warning to Saadi, stating: “You have been convicted of the most serious of crimes. There is only one sentence that can follow that verdict of this jury and that is a sentence of imprisonment for life.”

She added: “You should be under no illusion, the minimum term in this case will be of considerable length but I need to know more before I make that decision.”