London criminology student found guilty of murder after killing woman on Bournemouth beach

A London criminology student has been found guilty of murder after killing a woman on Bournemouth beach.

Amie Gray, 34, was fatally stabbed by student Nasen Saadi, 20, after his knife penetrated her heart. She was stabbed 10 times. 

Her friend, Leanne Miles, was also severely injured and sustained 20 knife injuries, but survived the attack.

Saadi was said to have premeditated his assault, and bought latex gloves, a balaclava, wet wipes and nail clippers in an attempt to avoid being traced. 

He also purchased six knives including a machete and a hunting knife, and enquired about how police investigate murders prior to carrying out his assault on Bournemouth Beach, on 24th May.

Furthermore, Saadi had asked his lecturers about how to get away with murder, with him saying to one of them to “go back to the point where you talked about murder and self-defence”.

Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, suggested Saadi may have taken sexual pleasure in the killing, and argued the jury should hear this account as a possible motive for the attack, however it was ruled as prejudicial by the judge and could not be used as evidence.

It was also reported that Saadi masturbated in front of a female prison officer after asking her how much publicity the case was getting, when awaiting trial. 

According to The Guardian, the court was further told the defendant held intense misogynistic views, and repeatedly told fellow students at the University of Greenwich that women were weaker than men and should not work in certain jobs.

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Presiding over the trial, Mrs Justice Cutts, told Saadi: “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.

“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.”

CCTV footage of Nasen Saadi via CPS

In a statement by the victim’s wife following the guilty verdict, she 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.”

The court was presented with the recording of the 999 call made by Leanne Miles, a friend of Amie’s, who was severely injured in the attack.

She told the operator: “I have been stabbed loads of times. Oh my God, I am getting dizzy, please hurry up, please hurry up.

“I am bleeding everywhere, I have been stabbed loads of times.”

via Facebook

Saadi graduated from the University of Greenwich in 2023 with a degree in criminology and lived with his family in suburban South London.

He had no previous convictions and the prosecutor, Sarah Jones KC, suggested he became obsessed with the notoriety of famous killers: “He seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life.”

Ms Jones proposed that the obsession stemmed from when Saadi watched The Strangers – Chapter 1 at the cinema, in which the male and female leads get stabbed. 

She said: “It suggests, doesn’t it, that the defendant gravitated to what he likes to watch or sought inspiration or encouragement from what he saw.

“He wanted the notoriety a killing of this sort might bring him…wanted to be the star from a true crime episode in a motiveless killing he designed himself.”

In February 2024, Saadi faced a stalking allegation, leading the Metropolitan Police to refer its handling of the matter to the police watchdog for review.

Since the murder, analysis of his laptop has also found that he had researched the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and her killer, as well as news surrounding Brianna Ghey, since January of this year.

Saadi used the name “Ninja Killer” for his Snapchat account, and visited websites selling knives using his laptop.

His search history has shown he looked up: “Why do criminals get away with crimes in rural areas?” and “Why is it harder for a criminal to get caught if he does it in another town?”.

During his interview with the police, Saadi said: “I am not responsible and I have no reason to attack someone for no reason.”

He provided no comment as to his whereabouts at the time of the attack, and told detectives: “Beaches are popular places…many people…CCTV shows there were many people walking, it’s not just one person.”

The defendant also said to police that he had been in Bournemouth and that he was interested in unsolved motiveless crimes. However, he denied carrying out the stabbing and said he had no memory of the attack, adding he may have blacked out at the time.

Saadi hung his head and did not show any emotion as he received his verdict.

The case has now been adjourned for a psychiatric report to be prepared on the defendant before sentencing on 28th March 2025.

Featured image via Dorset Police