UPDATED WITH SENTENCE: Man who brutally murdered woman on Bournemouth beach in random attack is convicted

A man who brutally murdered a woman on Bournemouth beach and tried to kill her friend in a randomly targeted yet carefully planned attack has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 39 years. 

Armed with a knife, 20-year-old Nasen Saadi approached Amie Gray, 34, and her friend Leanne Miles, 38, as they were sat on Durley Chine beach shortly after 11.30pm on Friday 24 May, 2024.

Without warning or provocation, Saadi attacked Ms Miles by stabbing her more than a dozen times. Ms Gray bravely distracted Saadi by shouting at him to ‘get away’ from her friend, allowing Ms Miles to flee.

Ms Gray was stabbed 10 times and would not survive her injuries.

Despite the victims being randomly selected on the night, the attack was the culmination of a lengthy research and planning process by Saadi – who the prosecution successfully argued was intent on committing murder.

Building the case:

Working closely with Dorset Police, the Crown Prosecution Service utilised extensive witness and digital evidence to build the case against Saadi – who denied his guilt throughout – and to demonstrate that his senseless attack was the culmination of months of morbid planning.

Saadi’s internet search history revealed his perverse determination to carry out a murder – and to get away with it.

In the weeks prior to his arrival in Bournemouth, his internet searches included entries such as ‘why is it harder for a killer to be caught if he does it in another town’.

He also searched whether Bournemouth beach was open at night, whether pebble beaches were easier to run on than sand beaches – and which kind of terrain Bournemouth beach had. He even went as far as to search which hotels in the area had CCTV.

It was submitted to the jury this highlighted Saadi’s attempts to understand his environment in order to commit and get away with murder.

The prosecution also used extensive CCTV footage which showed pre-meditation and planning from Saadi in both the execution and aftermath of the murder.

He was recorded at the beach on the day of his arrival in the town, 21 May 2024, in what was described as the first of several visits to survey the scene over the following days.

Having committed the attack, in an attempt to confound any investigation, Saadi discarded the clothes and shoes he had worn during the attack and left Bournemouth early the next morning.

Phone records showed he viewed breaking news articles about the incident the morning after. Saadi claimed that he was not the figure depicted in the extensive CCTV evidence.

This is despite corroborating dates, booking entries, witness identification and evidence of both an image-comparison expert and gait-analysis expert.

The jury at Winchester Crown Court didn’t believe him and unanimously found him guilty of murder and attempted murder.

Saadi was sentenced today to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 39 years.

Benjamin May, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said, “Amie Gray lost her life in the most tragic way, and our deepest condolences remain with her family.

“Amie’s courageous final act to protect her friend truly defines who she was, and her life will forever be remembered for the love and protection she gave to her loved ones.

“Our thoughts continue to remain with her friends and family, as well as with Leanne Miles, whose bravery through this ordeal helped us to deliver justice. 

“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.”

Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of MCIT, said, “Our dedicated team of investigators worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to build the best possible case at trial, which resulted in compelling evidence being presented to the jury.

“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 seemingly purely because it had a sandy beach and how he travelled down several days before with the intention of committing this horrific act.

“It appears that he targeted Amie and Leanne, who he had never met and were simply enjoying a peaceful evening on the beach, just because he saw an opportunity to surprise and overpower them.

“I want to again thank Amie’s family and Leanne for the support they have provided throughout the investigation and court process and the dignified way they have conducted themselves during this extremely difficult period for them all.”