The trial continues…
Police in Warden Bay on the Isle of Sheppey in August last year(Image: Stanley Murphy-Johns/PA)
Three teenagers accused of murdering a man they thought was a paedophile lured him to a beach before one threw rocks at him, a court has heard. Prosecutor Kate Blumgart KC told jurors at Woolwich Crown Court that a 16-year-old girl and two boys aged 15 and 16 first met Alexander Cashford, 49, on August 8 last year in Leysdown-on-Sea, on the Isle of Sheppey.
He gave the girl his phone number, and the teenagers sent him messages using the fake name Sienna, eventually arranging to meet him by the sea wall on August 10, the court heard. Just over an hour after meeting them, he was pronounced dead.
The 16-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy are related, the court heard. The three defendants, who are each charged with murder, cannot be named for legal reasons.
Witnesses described the 16-year-old boy throwing rocks at Mr Cashford, and calling him “a paedo”. Opening the case yesterday (January 13), Ms Blumgart told jurors one witness saw the 16-year-old boy throwing rocks towards Mr Cashford, describing the first throw as “like a lob”, “frantic” and with “a lot of power around it”.
“Mr Cashford did not react at all, he was lying face down in the mud,” Ms Blumgart said. When one witness shouted at the defendants to stop, the 16-year-old boy shouted “he’s a f****** paedophile” and the 16-year-old girl also said “he’s a f****** paedo”, jurors were told.
Kent Police was called to the Warden Bay Road area of Leysdown-on-Sea after reports of an altercation on August 10. Mr Cashford was confirmed dead at the scene, and police said he had multiple injuries to his body.
Witnesses said Mr Cashford had “a very badly damaged nose”, with blood on the outside and “a ping pong ball sized lump” on the back of his head, the court heard. The three defendants each deny one count of murder and the trial continues.
