Teenagers messaged man before his death, court told

Three teenagers sent a man messages using a fake name before his death at a seaside resort, a court has heard.

Alexander Cashford, 49, from Kent, was found with multiple injuries in Leysdown-on-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey on 10 August.

Prosecutor Kate Blumgart KC told jurors at Woolwich Crown Court that a 16-year-old girl and two boys aged 15 and 16, who all deny one count of murder, first met him two days earlier in the Kent village.

Cashford 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, the court heard.

Just over an hour after meeting them he was pronounced dead, the jury was told.

The 16-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy are related, the court heard.

The three defendants cannot be named for legal reasons.

Witnesses described the 16-year-old boy throwing rocks at Cashford and calling him "a paedo".

Opening the case on Tuesday, the prosecutor told jurors one witness saw the incident, describing the first throw as "like a lob", "frantic" and with "a lot of power around it".

She said: "Mr Cashford did not react at all, he was lying face down in the mud."

When one witness shouted at the defendants to stop, the 16-year-old boy shouted "he's a paedophile" and the 16-year-old girl also said "he's a paedo", jurors were told.

Kent Police was called to the Warden Bay Road area of Leysdown-on-Sea after reports of an altercation on 10 August.

Cashford was confirmed dead at the scene and police said he had multiple injuries to his body.

Witnesses said 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 trial continues.

Additional reporting from PA Media.

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