Croydon student accused of beach murder told police he was not responsible for attack

A student accused of the murder of physical trainer Amie Gray on Bournemouth beach told police that he was not responsible and he would not “attack someone for no reason”, a court has heard.

Nasen Saadi, 20, from Croydon, south London, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court charged with the murder of 34-year-old Ms Gray at Durley Chine Beach, West Undercliff Promenade, on May 24, and the attempted murder of Leanne Miles at the same location.

In video footage shown to the jury of a police interview with the defendant recorded on May 31, detectives ask Saadi if he had carried out the attack.

Wearing a grey jumper with his arms crossed, the defendant replied: “I am not responsible and I have no reason to attack someone for no reason.”

He added: “I am wrongly accused of mistaken identity, mistakes can happen and I am not responsible.”

Saadi continued: “I think just because someone is wearing the same clothes is circumstantial.”

When asked where he was at the time of the attack, he replied “No comment” and when asked if he was the person in the CCTV footage of the incident, he replied: “Beaches are popular places, many people, CCTV shows there were many people walking, it’s not just one person.”

And when asked if he was that person, he replied: “No.”

Home Office pathologist Dr Basil Purdue has told the trial that Ms Gray died as a result of 10 knife wounds while Ms Miles suffered 20 knife injuries.

Saadi, who was studying criminology at Greenwich University, has pleaded guilty to failing to give his phone number to police.

He denies the charges and the trial continues.

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