A criminology student who stabbed a personal trainer to death on Bournemouth beach has been jailed for 39 years.
Nasen Saadi, 21, fatally stabbed 34-year-old physical trainer Amie Gray and injured her friend Leanne Miles as the pair enjoyed a late-night chat at the Dorset seaside resort on May 24 last year.
The defendant, who had been studying at the University of Greenwich, had collected knives and researched locations to carry out the killing – and had even asked his course lecturers questions on how to get away with murder.
He was also sentenced at Winchester Crown Court for failing to give his mobile phone pin code to police.
Armed with a knife, Saadi approached Amie and Leanne, 38, as they were sat on Durley Chine beach shortly after 11.30pm.
Without warning, Saadi attacked Ms Miles by stabbing her more than a dozen times. Ms Gray bravely distracted Saadi by shouting at him to ‘get away’ from her friend, allowing Ms Miles to flee.
Ms Gray was stabbed 10 times and would not survive her injuries.
Despite the victims being randomly selected on the night, the attack was the culmination of a lengthy research and planning process by Saadi – who the prosecution successfully argued was intent on committing murder.
Saadi’s internet search history revealed his perverse determination to carry out a murder and get away with it.
In the weeks before he arrived in Bournemouth, his internet searches included entries such as ‘why is it harder for a killer to be caught if he does it in another town’.
He also searched whether Bournemouth beach was open at night, whether pebble beaches were easier to run on than sand beaches – and which kind of terrain Bournemouth beach had. He even went as far as to search which hotels in the area had CCTV.
Benjamin May, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said, ‘Amie Gray lost her life in the most tragic way, and our deepest condolences remain with her family.
‘Amie’s courageous final act to protect her friend truly defines who she was, and her life will forever be remembered for the love and protection she gave to her loved ones.
‘Our thoughts continue to remain with her friends and family, as well as with Leanne Miles, whose bravery through this ordeal helped us to deliver justice.
‘Saadi’s perverse fascination with murder and violence morphed into vile, real-world consequences, for which he has faced justice.’
