Jury at Winchester Crown Court hears from Purley student’s university lecturer how he changed his course and repeatedly asked about DNA and police investigation methods
On trial: Nisan Saadi, 20, from Purley, drawn in the dock at Winchester Crown Court this week
The trial of Nasen Saadi, the 20-year-old student from Purley accused of murdering football coach Amie Gray and the attempted murder of of Leanne Miles on a Bournemouth beach in May this year, yesterday heard how he had asked his lecturer questions on how to get away with murder.
Winchester Crown Court heard that in the autumn term of 2023, Saadi had changed his course at the University of Greenwich to study criminology and criminal psychology.
Lecturer Dr Lisa-Maria Reiss told the court that after she had been giving a seminar titled “Introduction to Social Sciences”, about the country’s political structure, Saadi had asked her questions about murder.
“I had finished the lecture and asked if there were any questions,” Dr Reiss said in evidence. “He said, ‘Can you please go to the point where you talk about murder for self-defence?’
“I was confused because I couldn’t remember talking about the subject. Although it’s a subject I am familiar with, I didn’t bring it up in the lecture. I saw my students were very confused as to why the question was asked.
Crime scene: Dorset police closed off the beach in Bournemouth as they looked for evidence
“I remember saying that we didn’t discuss this in this lecture and there would be a lecture upcoming dealing with policing matters.
“From what I remember, he completely ignored that and asked again about cases of self-defence and how often it would go through if the person claimed they had been attacked first.
“He asked me what DNA is left behind and for how long and if police are able to trace back DNA and I said ‘Yes, they are fairly competent with that’.
“He ignored it, it was almost as if he didn’t listen.
“Afterwards, I said to him: ‘You are not planning a murder are you?’ He said no, he is researching for an article he wants to write for a competitive paper so he could win £500.”
Saadi is accused of killing Gray, 34, and seriously injuring Miles, 38, on Durley Chine Beach on May 24. He denies the charges of murder and attempted murder.
Gray was pronounced dead at the scene, while Miles was taken to hospital for treatment for stab wounds to her chest and back.
The court had previously been told by the prosecution how Saadi had spent a month planning a random murder before setting out and attacking the women.
In yesterday’s evidence, the jury heard from Dr Reiss, who had served as a special officer for the Metropolitan Police, and from her partner, Pavandeep Singh Aneja, who was also a special police officer.
Singh had visited Saadi’s university class for a question-and-answer question with the class in November 2023. Dr Reiss said that Saadi asked different types of questions to the other students and added: “It was very focused on DNA, how to get away with murder, these sorts of things, which were very different to the other questions we would get such as work-life balance.”
Singh said that Saadi asked questions on what steps would be taken after a murder had been committed about forensic evidence. “There were questions along the lines of: ‘If a crime is committed in one area, in one police force, how information would be shared with other police forces?’
Early evidence: Dorset Police released the CCTV images of the man wanted in connection with the stabbings
“There were more questions, ‘What are your thoughts of females as police officers?’, which I thought was a pretty strange question.”
Another witness, Michael Priddle, an amateur photographer, told the court that he had gone to the seafront on the night of the incident to take photos of bird life as well as the rising full moon.
He said that he had left the seafront at about 11.40pm to walk back up to the cliff top, past a Victorian shelter on his way home, when he heard two loud screams from the beach area. He said that within five minutes, he saw a man wearing dark trousers and a black, hooded coat with a band of colour around the front, walking towards him.
“He looked a nasty person, I also kept an eye on him when he walked past the young couple in the Victorian shelter,” Priddle told the court. Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, has told the jury that Priddle picked Saadi’s image out of an identity parade of 10 photos three days after the fatal incident.
The court has already heard evidence that in March and April of this year, Saadi carried out internet searches for “deadliest knife”, “machete” and “what hotels don’t have CCTV”, the court was told.
Saadi was arrested at his home in Purley on May 28, where police found knives, latex gloves and a balaclava. However, no weapon or clothing from the night of the killing has been discovered.
The defendant has pleaded guilty to refusing to give detectives access to his mobile phone, the jury was told.
The trial continues.
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
- Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content. Our comments policy can be read by clicking here
- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, as well as BBC London News and ITV London
