Criminology student accused of stabbing personal trainer Amie Gray to death on Bournemouth beach is an easy target because he likes knives, court hears
The criminology student accused of stabbing personal trainer Amie Gray to death on Bournemouth beach has been described in court as an easy target because he likes knives.
The criminology student accused of stabbing personal trainer Amie Gray to death on Bournemouth beach has been described in court as an easy target because he likes knives.
Jurors heard suggestions today that Nasen Saadi, 20, was actually the victim of a case of mistaken identity amid ongoing investigations into the vicious attack on 34-year-old Mrs Gray at Durley Chine beach.
Charlie Sherrard KC spoke out at Winchester Crown Court explaining Saadi had been spotted in a different location to the killer at the same time and so there may have been another person responsible, and accused police of tunnel vision.
The killing of Mrs Gray and attempted murder of Leanne Miles, 38, took place on May 24 in Dorset as part of a horrifyingly savage ordeal were severe force was used to butcher Mrs Gray who was pronounced dead at the scene following CPR.
Prosecutors have accused Saadi of the horrific attack after photographer Michael Priddle selected him in a police identification parade having walked past him on the night of the attack.
Among the other evidence sited are several coincidences which saw Saadi purchase six ugly and vicious knives prior to the attack as well as searching for deliberately offensive-looking weapons.
But Saadi was dubbed by barrister Mr Sherrard KC as an innocent stooge at court.
In his closing speech Mr Sherrard KC told jurors he would provide his objective analysis of the tragic and scary murder of Mrs Gray and the attempted murder of Ms Miles.
Sian Gray (right) with her wife Amie Gray who died after being stabbed on Durley Chine Beach, Bournemouth at around 11.45pm on May 24
Amie Gray, 34, from Poole, was murdered at Durley Chine Beach, West Undercliff Promenade on May 24
Nasen Saadi in police video. The criminology student accused of stabbing a personal trainer to death on a beach told police that he had been wrongly accused in a case of mistaken identity
He said: The theme of my address to you is that Nasen Saadi has been an easy investigatory target.
He made himself that by virtue of circumstance, and of course the purchase of knives and internet searches.
Like so many murder movies, on the big or small screen, the obvious candidate turns out to be an innocent stooge.
I submit, on behalf of Nasen Saadi, the police and prosecution have seen an image - but cant look beyond what it shows.
Theyve seemingly made - mistakenly or intentionally - a massive flaw in their whole case.
Yesterday, Ms Jones KC told you that the police had been meticulous.
In all due respect, we submit to you that that can not be further from the truth.
He added the evidence against Saadi is both contradictory and inconsistent meaning he could not be the killer.
Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Nasen Saadi appearing at Winchester Crown Court, Hampshire
Nasen Saadi (pictured on the day of the incident) is on trial charged with the murder of 34-year-old at Durley Chine Beach, West Undercliff Promenade, on May 24
The KC accused Dorset police of having tunnel vision when it came to looking at the evidence in the case.
In what the barrister described as the massive flaw in the investigation, he also alleged that Mr Priddle, the photographer who selected from an identity parade, had in fact become the students alibi on the night Mrs Gray was stabbed.
Mr Sherrard KC referred to the evidence given by Mr Priddle and said that at the exact same time Saadi allegedly walked past him - the killer was recorded on CCTV leaving the scene.
He added that Saadi would not have been able to get from this point he was spotted back to The Silver How hotel where he was staying in the six minutes recorded unless he ran.
Geographically, its not even close, Mr Sherrard KC concluded.
The question for you is whether Nasen Saadi is the killer - or whether there was another person.
He also explained how much of the evidence raises doubts and referred to a 17 year old who was arrested after Mrs Grays murder.
The barrister said this teen work same t-shirt, dark trousers, and bum fluff facial hair who was up to no good on the night of the attack.
20-year-old Nasen Saadi has been accused of the murder of Amie Gray and the attempted murder of a second woman on Bournemouth seafront.
Very often someone like me will have to say to you that these things can happen - but here, you can actually see all those features in play within a matter of hours, he said referring to the several coincidences.
He did buy six ugly and vicious knives, Mr Sherrard KC said.
The barrister suggested that this may have been as a result of his fascination with them.
The Crown say he was researching how to get away with murder and on the other hand planning not to get caught, he continued.
Mr Sherrard KC also said that if Saadi was the killer then he would have legged it the morning after the attack - rather than hanging around Bournemouth until 9am before making the trip home.
He urged them not to give into the speculation offered by the prosecution.
Whoever it was that killed Amie Gray murdered her, there is no doubt - the question for you is are you sure who did it, he told jurors.
In relation to Leanne Miles, there can be do doubt that she was gratuitously attacked.
Saadi on the day of the stabbing of Mrs Gray, according to the prosecution
The criminology student allegedly lurked behind a personal trainer and her friend just 20 minutes before creeping up and attacking them, the jury heard
While those want, and maybe even need, to feel that somebody should pay for what is done - justice is never served in any case by the wrong person being convicted.
Saadi is accused of using his university studies to research how to get away with murder before butchering Mrs Gray because he wanted to know what it would be like to take a life.
He allegedly took inspiration from high profile stabbings like that of Brianna Gheys when he carried out the attack, prosecutors said.
It was heard the 20 year had taken such an interest in true crime that his lecturer had once asked him Youre not planning a murder are you? when he plied her with questions on killing, jurors were told.
The student, from south London, used the internet to search for deliberately offensive-looking weapons and researched most popular beach for kids UK before settling on a location in Bournemouth.
He also searched What hotels dont have CCTV in UK and can you pay Airbnb with cash.
And, the student also types why do I have a cold all the time and then searched stabbing just moments later.
On the evening of May 24, Mrs Gray and her friend Leanne Miles, then 38 had arrived to the beach in the late evening.
The trial heard severe force was used to murder Mrs Gray, who suffered ten knife wounds - the most serious being a gaping wound to her chest
Ms Miles, then 38, arrived in a cream coat and dark trousers and she is soon followed by Mrs Gray, who arrived in a navy hoodie.
The pair were sitting beside a fire to keep warm when they saw a shadow of the person appear behind them.
Moments later, the killer - who Ms Miles described as a young boy - launched at them both and carried out a random attack.
During the horrifyingly savage ordeal, Ms Miles begged with him Please stop, Ive got children, jurors were told.
During a 999 call, she frantically told police I have been stabbed lots of times, can you hurry up, please hurry up, I am in so much pain.
The trial heard severe force was used to murder Mrs Gray, who suffered ten knife wounds - the most serious being a gaping wound to her chest.
It was heard Ms Miles was fortunate to survive the attack and her injuries suggested she tried to block and ward off the student.
She told police in an interview which took place in hospital after the attack that Mrs Gray had saved her life.
Sian Gray, wife of Amie Gray, is pictured outside Winchester Crown Court
Amies wife Sian Gray, wearing a white blazer, leaving Poole Magistrates Court
Mrs Gray was pronounced dead at the scene while Ms Miles, then aged 38, suffered 20 injuries but survived the attack after screaming please stop, Ive got children (pictured: Flowers on the seafront in Bournemouth after the incident took place)
CCTV footage shows Saadi allegedly scope out the beach before the attack as he carried out a recce of the area.
Ms Jones JC alleged that before the attack, Saadi loitered behind his victims before he pursued them.
Mr Priddle selected Saadi out of a parade of 10 suspects in a police identification procedure after allegedly walking past him on the night of the attack.
Upon looking at Saadis laptop, officers found he used the username NSKills, and later discovered online usernames including Ninja Kiler.
In a police interview, the student insisted he was not responsible for the attack and had blacked out after it had taken place.
During the interview, Saadi claimed he was being wrongly accused of a serious offence he has nothing to do with - and told Dorset Police he was being blamed because they were under pressure to find a suspect.
Saadi, who was studying at Greenwich University, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mrs Gray and attempted murder of Ms Miles.
He also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of wounding without intent in relation to the second victim, Ms Miles.
Saadi has accepted a charge of failing to comply with a notice requirement disclosure.
The trial continues.
