A man was lured to a beach in Kent after messaging a teenage girl, before being chased and bashed to death by three teenagers who accused him of being a paedophile, a court has heard.
Alexander Cashford, 49, died on the Isle of Sheppey just 68 minutes after first encountering the group, in what prosecutors described as a planned and coordinated assault.
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The two boys, aged 15 and 16, and a 16-year-old girl had met Mr Cashford by chance earlier that day. After he gave the girl his number, they began exchanging messages, posing as someone named “Sienna” to arrange a meeting later that evening.
Prosecutors said what followed was not spontaneous, The Sun reported.
“These three defendants did happen by chance to meet Mr Cashford,” prosecutor Kate Blumgart KC said.
“What happened thereafter, however, was not by chance.
The two boys, aged 15 and 16, and a 16-year-old girl had met Mr Cashford by chance earlier that day. Credit: SUPPLIED/Cover Images
“They were so outraged by his interest in ‘Sienna’ that they deliberately planned to attack him.
“This was a joint attack with each of them playing a vital part.”
Footage later released by the Crown Prosecution Service showed the attack unfolding along the beachfront. Mr Cashford was followed before one of the boys struck him from behind with a bottle.
As he attempted to flee, the group pursued him along the promenade.
One of the boys can be heard shouting “f…ing paedo”, while the girl yelled: “I’m f…ing sixteen”.
Three teens who lured a man to the beach using a fake name then stoned him to death while chanting “paedo” have been jailed. Credit: SUPPLIED/Cover Images
As Mr Cashford ran, the girl screamed, “get him”.
Witnesses told the court the violence continued even after he collapsed. One described a boy throwing rocks with force towards Mr Cashford’s body, including when he appeared to be motionless.
Ms Blumgart said, “He was later seen by witnesses throwing large rocks at Mr Cashford’s already seemingly lifeless body and head.
“This at the tail end of a vicious onslaught.”
Witnesses told the court the violence continued even after he collapsed. One described a boy throwing rocks with force towards Mr Cashford’s body, including when he appeared to be motionless. Credit: SUPPLIED/Cover Images
The court heard the group had exchanged around 75 messages with Mr Cashford in the lead-up to the meeting. His number had been saved in one teenager’s phone under the name “pedo”.
The girl was described as showing “unwavering enthusiasm for the venture”, with her voice captured in the footage as she filmed parts of the attack.
The video, prosecutors said, was “undoubtedly planned to be evidence of their own successful hunt”.
Emergency services were called to the scene, where Mr Cashford was found lying on an uneven stretch of beach about 50 metres from the path.
A post-mortem examination found he had suffered extensive injuries, including trauma to the head and face, fractured ribs and a punctured lung.
Three teens who lured a man to the beach using a fake name then stoned him to death while chanting “paedo” have been jailed. Credit: SUPPLIED/Cover Images
The three teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were jailed for a total of 19 years. Two were convicted of manslaughter, while a third had previously admitted the charge. All three were found not guilty of murder.
In sentencing, the judge said none of the defendants could “sensibly claim” to have been led into their actions.
“You all planned to trap and harm this man over a few days and as a group,” the judge said.
“It was an appalling incident and a senseless loss of life.”
In a victim impact statement, Mr Cashford’s parents said they would “never overcome or understand the trauma which will haunt us for the rest of our lives”.
“We are all devastated,” they said.
“Alex was taken in a cruel and violent way.”
Three teens who lured a man to the beach using a fake name then stoned him to death while chanting “paedo” have been jailed. Credit: SUPPLIED/Cover Images
