Student, 20, who ‘stabbed mum to death in random attack’ at Bournemouth beach ‘researched Levi Bellfield before murder’
A STUDENT who allegedly stabbed to death a mum at Bournemouth beach researched Levi Bellfield before the attack, a court has heard.
Nasen Saadi, 20, also allegedly looked up the murders of Brianna Ghey and “sharpest knives” prior to the stabbing in Bournemouth.
The student, who was studying criminology and criminal psychology at the University of Greenwich, is standing trial at the Old Bailey charged with murder and attempted murder.
Amie Gray, 34, suffered 10 stab wounds and died at the scene at Durley Chine Beach shortly before midnight on May 24.
She had been chatting with Leanne Miles, who suffered 20 knife wounds but survived, when they were targeted at random, a court has heard.
Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, told a jury at Winchester Crown Court today that analysis of Saadi’s laptop revealed he had made a number of searches in relation to knives and crimes in the five months before Amie’s death.
This included serial killer Levi Bellfield and the murders of Milly Dowler and schoolgirl Brianna.
Ms Jones also told the court Saadi had the Snapchat name “Ninja Killer”.
There were also visits to websites selling knives and searches for different types of knives.
These included hunting knives, switchblades and automatic knives, as well as the purchase of a knife, Ms Jones said
Jurors heard he also also searched for “stabbing”, “crime maps”, “knife crime UK”, “sharpest knives” and “what supermarkets UK can you buy kitchen knives”.
Analysis of his devices found Saadi looked up phrases including “why do criminals get away with crimes in rural areas” and “why is it harder for a criminal to get caught if he does it in another town”.
Ms Jones added that another search was “what hotels do not have CCTV in UK” and “can you pay Airbnb with cash”.
His computer records included bookings at the Silver How hotel and nearby Travelodge in Bournemouth for the days leading up to the fatal incident.
Dr Melissa Pepper, a senior lecturer at the his u, said some of the online searches could have been linked to the course.
She said searches about knife laws may have also been linked to the course, but the lecturer added that “we do not focus on weapons in terms of purchasing, size or sharpness”.
The court has heard how Saadi would also asks his lecturers series of questions about defences for murder.
His questioning led one to ask: “You’re not planning a murder are you?”
The court has been shown CCTV of Saadi’s movements in the days prior to the attack, as well as footage of the fatal stabbing.
Footage shows the man claimed to be Saadi walking along the promenade during the evenings of his stay, with jurors being told he was carrying out “recces” of the area.
Amie and Leanne had been chatting next to a fire to keep warm under a full moon when they were attacked.
MS Jones told the court: “This defendant seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life, perhaps he wanted to know what it would be like to make women feel afraid, perhaps he thought it would make him feel powerful, make him interesting to others.
“Perhaps he just couldn’t bear to see people engaged in a happy normal social interaction and he decided to lash out, to hurt, to butcher.”
She added: “With purpose, slowly, stealthily and quietly, when he thought no-one would observe him, he hovered at the edges of the promenade, then stepped on to the sand, and walked directly towards the two women with a knife in his hand.
“In an act horrifying in its savagery and in its randomness he stabbed them both multiple times, chasing after them as they tried to escape or divert him from the other and he continued his attack.
“He left them on the sand to bleed to death whilst he moved away and tried to disappear back into the shadows, away from the glare of the streetlights or the moonlight and back into anonymity.
“He got rid of his weapon. He changed his clothes and shoes and got rid of them.”
Saadi, who has admitted failing to provide his mobile phone code to police, denies murder and attempted murder.
The trial continues.