Defendant in Beach Stabbing Case Used ‘Ninja Killer’ Snapchat Profile

A jury has been informed that a man accused of fatally stabbing a woman on a beach utilized the profile name “Ninja Killer” on Snapchat and conducted an internet search for “what is the deadliest knife.” Winchester Crown Court was told that Nasen Saadi killed Amie Gray, 34, and severely wounded 38-year-old Leanne Miles on Durley Chine Beach in Bournemouth on 24 May. The 20-year-old defendant, from Croydon, denies charges of murder and attempted murder, but admitted to failing to provide police access to his mobile phone. Evidence presented to the court indicated that Mr Saadi had acquired multiple knives online in the months preceding the attack. Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, informed the jury that the victims were chosen randomly and that “he seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life.” Ms Jones stated that Mr Saadi had performed internet searches for “Bournemouth CCTV” and “Bournemouth pier CCTV” just days before the murder occurred. The court heard that since January 2024, his laptop’s search history included queries for: “How sharp are kitchen knives”, “Why is it harder for a criminal to be caught if he does it in another town” and “What hotels don’t have CCTV in UK”. The jury was also told he had looked up: “Is Bournemouth beach open all night” and “Most popular beach for kids UK”. Rosie Latham, a major crime analyst at Dorset Police, confirmed to the court that several knife purchases had been made from Mr Saadi’s computer. Ms Jones said that the day after the attack, Mr Saadi had read online news articles pertaining to the murder. On Monday, the court was told that Ms Gray and Ms Miles had been sitting on the sand, where they lit a fire and observed the full moon. CCTV footage displayed to the jury captured Mr Saadi traveling from Croydon to the Travelodge hotel in Bournemouth on 21 May, before conducting several reconnaissance trips of the area, the court heard. The prosecution added that the defendant then relocated to the Silver How Hotel on 23 May. Ms Jones recounted that on the night of the attack, beach CCTV tracked Mr Saadi as he walked along the promenade before assaulting the woman and returning to his hotel. The jury was informed that Ms Miles sustained 20 knife wounds, primarily to her back, and was fortunate to survive. However, pathologist Dr Basil Purdue stated that Ms Gray had died rapidly from multiple stab wounds to her chest and arm, including one to her heart. He concluded that the injuries resulted from stabbing with a knife possessing a single sharp edge and a blade that need not have exceeded 5-7cm (2-3 inches) in length. In a video played in court, Ms Miles described how she pleaded for her life. Speaking from her hospital bed, three days after the attack, she said: “He went towards me first – because I remember Amie saying: ‘What are you doing? Get off her.'” She stated she was continuously stabbed until she said: “Please stop, I’ve got children.” The man then walked away, she said. The court was previously told that Mr Saadi was studying criminology and criminal psychology at the University of Greenwich in 2023. His former lecturer, Dr Lisa-Maria Reiss, informed the jury that Mr Saadi had asked her questions regarding the police’s ability to trace DNA. She said: “I asked him: ‘You’re not planning a murder, are you?'” The trial continues.