Three children, aged 16, 15 and 14, sent Alexander Cashford, 49, messages using a fake name before his death on the Isle of Sheppey, jurors were told
Three children sent a 49-year-old man messages using a fake name before his death at a seaside resort, a court has heard.
Alexander Cashford, from Kent, was found with multiple injuries in Leysdown-on-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey on August 10. A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 14 and 15, who are all from London, were charged with murder by joint venture on August 12.
Prosecutor Kate Blumgart KC told jurors at Woolwich Crown Court that the girl and the two boys first met Alexander Cashford on August 8 last year in Leysdown-on-Sea, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.
He gave the girl his phone number, and the teenagers sent him messages using the fake name Sienna, arranging to meet him again by the sea wall on August 10, the court heard. Jurors were told that just over an hour after meeting them, Mr Cashford was pronounced dead.
The three defendants cannot be named for legal reasons. The 16-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy are related, the court heard.
Opening the case on Tuesday, Ms Blumgart said that witnesses described the 16-year-old boy throwing rocks at Mr Cashford and calling him “a paedo” The witness described 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****** peadophile” and the 16-year-old girl also said “he’s a f****** peado”, 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.
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 three defendants each deny one count of murder and the trial continues.
