Accused beach killer had interest in true crime - court

A man accused of stabbing a woman to death on a beach told police he had an interest in true crime and horror movies, a jury has heard.

Nasen Saadi killed Amie Gray, 34, and seriously injured 38-year-old Leanne Miles on Durley Chine Beach in Bournemouth on 24 May, Winchester Crown Court was told.

The 20-year-old, from Croydon, denies charges of murder and attempted murder.

In a police interview, Mr Saadi said he felt he had been "wrongly accused" and they had "really weak evidence", the jury heard.

Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, said Mr Saadi "seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life".

In the police interview on 30 May, which was read to the jury, Mr Saadi told detectives he had an interest in unsolved crimes, such as the Setagaya family murders in Japan.

The defendant answered "no comment" to a number of questions about visiting Bournemouth, the court heard.

He then told police his trip to Bournemouth had been "impulsive" and he had not planned any activities.

When asked why he had chosen the town, he said he had just searched online for "best beaches UK" and it was the first result.

He told officers that while he had been there he had visited the cinema to watch horror film The Strangers: Chapter 1, and described it as being "about killers that kill with no motive".

When asked how he felt after watching horror films, he replied: "Nothing."

Detectives asked Mr Saadi what he had done after checking out of the Travelodge on 23 May at 14:00, the court heard.

Mr Saadi said: "I can't remember, maybe sleepwalking… I probably blacked out."

"I have a bad memory… I can't remember things that happened yesterday," he added.

Ms Gray and Ms Miles had been sitting on the beach where they had lit a fire, the court was previously told.

On Wednesday, the courtroom fell silent for several minutes as CCTV footage of the alleged murder was shown.

After walking up and down the promenade for several minutes, Mr Saadi could be seen stepping onto the sand and attacking the women at 23:38 BST, Ms Jones said.

Ms Miles had made a call to emergency services at 23:40 BST, with first responders initially blocked from accessing the promenade by a locked gate, Ms Jones said.

Paramedics arrived on the scene at 23:50 and described Ms Gray as unconscious, unresponsive, not breathing and "cold to the touch", the court heard.

The jury was told she had been pronounced dead at 00:24 on 25 May following CPR.

Ms Jones said after police informed Ms Miles that her friend had died, she told them "Amie Gray had saved her life".

Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue said Ms Gray had died quickly from multiple stab wounds to her chest and arm, including one to her heart.

Ms Miles suffered 20 knife wounds, mainly to her back, the jury was told.

The court heard Mr Saadi was arrested at his aunt's house in Purley on 28 May.

A machete, four other knives and self defence spray was found in a bedroom at the property.

Police also found a blue rucksack containing used wet wipes, a black balaclava, and a box of latex gloves - two of which were inside out - and seized a hard drive and laptop.

On 17 July, Mr Saadi was asked to disclose his passwords, but he refused, and has since pleaded guilty to failing to give the police access to his mobile phone.

Therefore only "limited information" from the phone had been accessible to police, the court heard.

The jury was previously told Mr Saadi had used the profile name "Ninja Killer" on Snapchat and searched "what is the deadliest knife" on the internet.

Just days before the attack, the defendant had carried out internet searches for "Bournemouth CCTV" and "Bournemouth pier CCTV", Ms Jones said.

The trial continues.

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