Graphic footage of the moment a teenager struck a man with a glass bottle, shortly before he was beaten to death with rocks, has been played to a jury at Woolwich Crown Court.
The Fatal Confrontation on Sheppey
Three teenagers—a 16-year-old girl and two boys aged 15 and 16—are on trial, accused of murdering 49-year-old Alexander Cashford on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent on 10 August 2025. The court heard the defendants, who were on holiday from London, allegedly lured Mr Cashford to a meeting with the girl before attacking him.
The jury was shown video evidence filmed by the 16-year-old girl in Leysdown-on-Sea. It captures a boy in a grey t-shirt smashing a bottle over Mr Cashford's head, causing him to flee along the beachfront promenade. He was pursued by two boys, one in grey and another in a red t-shirt.
During the chase, one of the boys is heard shouting 'you're a paedo' at Mr Cashford. The 49-year-old is then seen tripping and falling to the ground before scrambling back to his feet and continuing to run, with the boy in grey attempting to kick his heels. The video concludes with all three youths still in pursuit.
A 'Deliberate' and 'Planned' Assault
Prosecutor Kate Blumgart KC told the court the attack was not a chance event. She stated the defendants 'deliberately planned to attack him' after becoming outraged by his interest in the girl, who he believed was called 'Sienna'.
The court heard Mr Cashford had met the girl by chance at an arcade in the seaside resort two days earlier, on 8 August. He gave her a business card with his number, which the 16-year-old boy saved in his own phone under the contact name 'pedo'. Over the next two days, around 75 messages were exchanged, with Mr Cashford believing he was talking to a 16-year-old. He claimed to be 30 and expressed a romantic interest.
The meeting was arranged for the evening of 10 August by the sea wall. Ms Blumgart said the girl showed 'unwavering enthusiasm for the venture', which could be heard in her 'shrieks' as she recorded. The prosecutor alleged the footage was 'undoubtedly planned to be evidence of their own successful hunt'.
The Fatal Onslaught with Rocks
The prosecution alleges that after the initial bottle attack and chase, the violence escalated. One witness later described seeing the 16-year-old boy throwing rocks at Mr Cashford's 'already seemingly lifeless body and head'. The first throw was said to be 'like a lob', 'frantic', and delivered with 'a lot of power'.
The girl allegedly shouted, 'f****** paedophile, I'm f****** 16, get him', as she filmed. After his arrest, the 16-year-old boy is accused of sharing footage of the attack with three people, adding the caption: 'f****** pedo up lol'.
A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Cashford died from injuries including trauma to his face and head, bruises, and a number of fractured ribs that had punctured his lung.
The 16-year-old girl and the 15-year-old boy are related. All three defendants, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have each pleaded not guilty to one count of murder. The trial continues.
