Croydon student with ‘perverse fascination for murder’ jailed for life over stabbing
A Croydon student with a “perverse fascination” for murder who stabbed a mother to death has been jailed for life.
Nasen Saadi, 21, was sentenced to a minimum of 39 years in prison at Winchester Crown Court today for the murder of Amie Gray, 34, and attempted murder of Leanne Miles, 38, last year.
The pair were “chosen at random” by the criminology student who carried out the attack on Durley Chine Beach in Bournemouth on May 24.
Benjamin May, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “Saadi’s perverse fascination with murder and violence morphed into vile, real-world consequences, for which he has faced justice.
“Women should be free to enjoy their lives without fear of violence – the Crown Prosecution Service is unwavering in our commitment to see perpetrators of male violence against women and girls brought to justice.”
Saadi travelled to Bournemouth three days before the attack and stayed in hotels in the town.
On the nights before the attack, he was seen going down to the seafront near to the scene of the murder and appeared to be researching the area and the routes to and from the beach, police said.
On the evening of the attack, he left his hotel at around 10.45pm and was captured on CCTV walking up and down the seafront, at times looking over at his two victims, who were sitting on the beach by a fire.
At around 11.40pm, he approached them without warning and launched his brutal attack, chasing them down and stabbing them repeatedly.
Saadi ran away but was captured leaving the area on CCTV moments later and was also seen by a witness as he made his way up from the seafront back to his hotel.
Leanne was able to call 999 and police, along with medical staff, arrived on the scene shortly afterwards. Despite their efforts, Amie was pronounced dead at the scene, having sustained multiple stab wounds.
Leanne was taken to hospital for treatment for 20 knife wounds to her side, back and arms.
Saadi was arrested at his home in Croydon on May 28.
He refused to disclose his passwords and pleaded guilty to failing to give the police access to his mobile phone at the start of his trial.
Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “The initial response to this tragic incident involved more than 100 officers as well as experts from across the force as we poured everything into catching this brutal killer.
“We were able to show how carefully the defendant planned his attack, intending to kill, choosing Bournemouth – somewhere he had never been before – as the location purely because it had a sandy beach.
“It appears that he targeted Amie and Leanne, who he had never met, just because he saw an opportunity to surprise and overpower them.”
Pictured top: Nasen Saadi, a 21-year-old student from Croydon, who has been jailed for murder and attempted murder (Picture: Dorset Police)
