A criminology student, Nasen Saadi, is facing trial for the murder of Amie Gray and the attempted murder of Leanne Miles on a Bournemouth beach in May.
Saadi, 20, allegedly murdered Gray, 34, and injured Miles, 38, as they sat on the sand.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges but admitted to obstructing the police by failing to provide access to his mobile phone. The court has heard how Saadi had spent months planning the attack, researching beaches and weapons, and even expressing a desire to know what it felt like to take a life.
According to BBC reports, Saadi’s criminology lecturer, Dr Lisa-Maria Reiss, recalled that he asked her about the consequences of murder and self-defence, though these topics were not part of the lesson.
When questioned by her, he claimed he was writing an article. However, the questioning continued, with Saadi asking other lecturers about police procedures, DNA evidence, and how to avoid detection after committing a crime.
According to the Guardian, Prison officer Benjamin Raffo, during a welfare assessment after Saadi’s arrest, reported that Saadi admitted to being fascinated by knives and had a collection of them at home. The defendant allegedly told Raffo he liked the “shape and look” of knives and had around six in his possession.
Saadi’s comments about his phone also raised concerns, as he claimed to have an alphanumeric password, believing it would be harder to crack, showing a level of premeditation.
The attack occurred on May 24, 2023, when Saadi allegedly approached the two women as they watched the full moon by a fire. Gray died from her injuries, while Miles managed to survive but suffered multiple stab wounds.
In a video played in court, Miles tearfully described how she begged for her life for the sake of her children, only for the defendant to continue attacking her.
The court also heard how Saadi had been researching deadly weapons, booking a hotel near Bournemouth days before the attack, and watching a film about a killer with no motive.
His actions appear to confirm prosecutors’ claims that he killed to satisfy his curiosity about what it felt like to take a life, as Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, stated: “He seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life.”
