Teenagers Accused of Murder in Brutal Seafront Attack on Man in Kent
A dog walker testified in court that she heard a teenage girl shouting 'You're a paedo' at a 49-year-old man who was later chased and beaten to death along the seafront. The incident, which occurred on the Isle of Sheppey in August, has led to a murder trial at Woolwich Crown Court, where three teenagers are facing charges.
Details of the Fatal Encounter
Alexander Cashford, an electrician aged 49, allegedly gave his phone number to a 16-year-old girl after meeting her by chance at an arcade in the seaside resort of Leysdown-on-Sea. According to prosecutors, he arranged to meet her on August 10, believing he was communicating with a girl named Sienna. Over two days, around 75 messages were exchanged, with Mr Cashford claiming to be 30 and expressing romantic interest.
However, the situation turned violent when Mr Cashford met the girl by the sea wall. Prosecutors state that he was ambushed by the girl and two boys, aged 15 and 16, who were outraged by his interactions. The court heard that the 16-year-old boy, who admits manslaughter but denies murder, stalked Mr Cashford and the girl for 850 metres along the promenade before launching the attack.
Witness Accounts of the Assault
Ewelina Wypych, who was walking her dog on the beach that evening, described seeing people running along the seafront. She initially thought they were a family racing each other, but soon realised the severity of the situation. 'All of a sudden three males started running, just racing each other. One of the males fell over,' she told the court. Ms Wypych heard Mr Cashford call out 'Help, help' twice in a calm voice, but did not respond.
She also recounted hearing a girl yell 'You're a paedo' during the incident. Footage shown in court, filmed by the girl, captures the 16-year-old boy striking Mr Cashford on the back of the head with an empty glass bottle. Prosecutors detailed that the boy then hurled large rocks at Mr Cashford's already seemingly lifeless body and head. Another witness on holiday described the boy 'smirking like he had just won the candy out of the candy shop' after the assault.
Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
Mr Cashford was pronounced dead just over an hour after the meeting, with a post-mortem examination revealing multiple injuries, including facial and head trauma, bruises, and fractured ribs that punctured his lung. The 16-year-old boy allegedly shared footage of the attack with three people, captioning it 'f****d pedo (sic) up lol'.
Prosecutor Kate Blumgart KC emphasised that this was a joint attack with each defendant playing a vital part, planned due to their outrage over Mr Cashford's interest in the girl. While the 16-year-old boy admits manslaughter, all three teenagers deny murder, with the other boy and the girl also denying manslaughter. The trial continues as the court examines the evidence and witness testimonies in this tragic case.
