Jury begins deliberations in trial of man charged with beach murder

Deliberations have commenced for the jury in the case of a man facing charges related to the stabbing of two women on a beach, an incident that resulted in one fatality. Amie Gray, aged 34, succumbed to her injuries, while Leanne Miles, 38, sustained severe wounds during the assault that occurred on Durley Chine Beach in Bournemouth on May 24. Nasen Saadi, a 20-year-old resident of Croydon, has pleaded not guilty to counts of murder, attempted murder, and wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. Following a nine-day trial held at Winchester Crown Court, the jurors have withdrawn to begin their deliberations. The court heard on Monday that Mr. Saadi would not testify from the witness box, and his defense counsel, Charles Sherrard KC, presented no additional evidence. Addressing the jury previously, Mr. Sherrard stated: “Burning in your head no doubt … was that question of ‘why didn’t he give evidence?’.” He further remarked: “That is his right.” The court was previously informed that Mr. Saadi, who is a criminology student, had conducted online searches for phrases such as “Bournemouth CCTV” and “Is Bournemouth beach open all night” merely days prior to the murder. His laptop also showed searches conducted since January 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?”. Presenting a “whistle-stop tour” of Mr. Saadi’s internet search history, Mr. Sherrard questioned the jury on whether these were simply “a series of random, bizarre, unusual searches” or if they indicated his guilt of murder. Mr. Sherrard additionally stated: “Remember, he did actually pass his course.” Dorset Police had previously disclosed that multiple knife purchases were made from Mr. Saadi’s computer, with Mr. Sherrard noting that one of these knives remains unaccounted for. Dr. Basil Purdue, a pathologist, informed the jury that the weapon employed in the assault possessed a single sharp edge. “That one, whatever’s happened to it, has two blades,” Mr. Sherrard remarked, further stating: “None of them have been used for the killing.” He asserted that Mr. Saadi was an “easy investigatory target” due to his “fascination” with knives. The court was informed that CCTV footage presented to the jury depicted Mr. Saadi traveling from Croydon to a Travelodge hotel in Bournemouth on May 21, and subsequently residing at a nearby guesthouse starting May 23. The prosecution stated that he departed Bournemouth around 09:00 BST on May 25, the morning following the assault. Mr. Sherrard questioned: “Don’t you think the person that would commit such horrific acts would leg it, rather than still be there in the morning?” “The question for you is whether Nasen Saadi was the killer or whether there was another person.” The court had previously been informed that on the evening of the attack, Ms. Gray and Ms. Miles had started a fire and were seated together on the beach. Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC stated that CCTV footage displayed Mr. Saadi pacing along the promenade before moving onto the sand and assaulting the women. Additionally, the jury heard screams from the women, recorded by a separate camera at the time of the stabbings. Ms. Gray was declared deceased at the location after receiving CPR. Paramedics had initially discovered her to be unresponsive and “cold to the touch,” the court was told. The jury was informed that the football coach from Poole succumbed to multiple stab wounds to her chest and arm, one of which penetrated her heart. Her companion, Ms. Miles, was transported to the hospital having sustained 20 stab wounds to her chest and back. The court heard that knives and self-defence spray were discovered in a bedroom at Mr. Saadi’s residence following his arrest on May 28. The prosecution further stated that police confiscated a blue Trespass rucksack containing white latex gloves—two of which were inverted—along with a black balaclava, a torch, used wet wipes, and a packet of tissues. He admitted guilt to the charge of failing to provide police access to his mobile phone, having declined to reveal his passwords. During a police interview on May 31, footage of which was previously presented to the court, Mr. Saadi informed detectives that he was not the individual depicted in the CCTV footage from the night of the attack. He asserted: “I am not responsible and I have no reason to attack someone for no reason.” He also added: “You haven’t found a murder weapon, you haven’t found the trousers, the bag.” Ms. Jones, representing the prosecution, had previously remarked that Mr. Saadi “seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life.” The trial continues.