Teens who killed man with rocks and a bottle sentenced

Three teenagers have received sentences for the manslaughter of a man they mistakenly believed to be a paedophile at a beach in Kent.

A 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were convicted of manslaughter in relation to the death of Alexander Cashford, who was 49 years old, at Leysdown-on-Sea, Kent, in August 2025. A 16-year-old boy had previously pleaded guilty to the same charge.

The girl and the older boy were each sentenced to seven years in custody, while the younger boy received a five-year sentence.

During the trial, evidence revealed that the teenagers had lured Cashford to the beach following a chance meeting at an arcade two days prior, during which he had given the girl his phone number.

Justice Cheema-Grubb characterized the killing as an "appalling incident and senseless loss of life." In her remarks at the Old Bailey, she stated, "You decided to attack a man that none of you knew and two of you had never met. All he did was give a business card. He did not touch you. You could have thrown it away."

The teenagers will serve half of their sentences in custody and the remainder under supervision.

'Cruel, unnecessary and pointless'

Prosecuting attorney Natalie Smith, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), described how Cashford was pursued and struck with rocks and a bottle, ultimately being found face down in mud. "This was a carefully pre-planned deliberate and violent attack on someone... who could not defend himself,” Smith stated, noting that even as Cashford attempted to escape, he was relentlessly pursued and attacked while lying on the ground.

The jury was informed that Cashford, who worked as an electrician, sustained over 30 external injuries.

In a heartfelt statement during the sentencing, Cashford's parents expressed their devastation, describing their son as "kind, friendly and compassionate," and condemned the manner of his death as "cruel, unnecessary and pointless."

Using the pseudonym Sienna, the trio had exchanged approximately 75 messages with Cashford to arrange their meeting.

Defense attorney Danny Robinson KC, representing the girl, claimed that the initial texts were meant to be humorous but escalated into an attempt to shame Cashford. He characterized the events as a "childish escapade that got out of hand."

Cashford had previous convictions

The 16-year-old boy testified that they had contemplated giving Cashford a "slap." He asserted that the police "wouldn't have done anything" had they reported his attempts to meet the girl and maintained that he believed his actions were justified.

It was revealed in court that Cashford had prior convictions for stalking and various driving offenses, with one stalking charge stemming from an incident in 2025, where he followed a young woman home from work to her residence in Gillingham.

The court also learned that the 16-year-old boy, who has ADHD and autism, faced significant hardships in his early life. His defense lawyer, Danny Moore KC, emphasized, "There is no history of violence," arguing that this incident was completely out of character.

The younger boy, who was 14 at the time of the attack, "played a minor role" according to his defense attorney, Benjamin Newton KC, noting that he did not arm himself or participate in throwing any missiles.

The CPS highlighted "key evidence" from the defendants themselves, including a video recorded by the girl, which showed the two boys launching the attack while she shouted accusations of "paedophile" at Cashford. Despite this, character references presented in court described her as "polite, caring, compassionate." Her defense contended that she was unaware a weapon would be used during the meeting with Cashford.

Evidence from witnesses, including those who rendered assistance to Cashford and those who tracked the teenagers' movements, facilitated prompt arrests by Kent Police, as stated by the CPS.

Witness accounts indicated that the defendants appeared to be "gloating" after the attack, according to the CPS.

Due to their age, the teens cannot be identified under legal provisions. They faced murder charges but ultimately received sentences for manslaughter. Their defense lawyers stated in court that all three expressed remorse for their actions.

Detective Sergeant Alastair Worton remarked, "Alexander Cashford's life was cut short following a vicious attack carried out by a group of teenagers who plotted to meet him under false pretences. The devastating outcome of the offenders' brutal actions that day has left a family grieving the loss of a loved one and young lives changed forever."