Jurors consider verdicts in beach murder trial

Jurors are considering their verdicts in the trial of three teenagers accused of murdering a man on a beach.

A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 15 and 16, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny murdering Alexander Cashford, 49, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, on 10 August last year.

Prosecutors have said Cashford was chased and hit with rocks and a bottle and was found lying face down in mud in Leysdown-on-Sea.

Jurors heard he gave the girl his number on 8 August after meeting her at an amusement arcade, before the three exchanged messages with him and arranged to meet him two days later.

The 16-year-old boy previously pleaded guilty to a secondary charge of manslaughter, which the other two deny.

The older boy claimed he attacked Cashford because he felt police "wouldn't have done anything" if they had reported him for trying to meet up with the girl.

Summing up on Wednesday, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Cashford fell and the older boy threw a rock described by a witness as "the size of a cereal bowl".

A post-mortem examination showed Cashford had injuries to his face and head, bruises on his limbs and body, and a number of fractured ribs that had punctured his lung, jurors heard previously.

It is not disputed the assault and chase led to his death, the jury was told.

However, the court heard he had underlying cardiac issues following a heart attack in 2017 that may have exacerbated the effects of the attack.

One pathologist did not exclude the possibility his death could have been caused by an increase in adrenaline as a result of the chase, jurors heard.

The jury was asked to consider if the fractured ribs may have been caused by attempts to resuscitate Mr Cashford or from him falling.

Some reports said the boy's kicks were not delivered with heavy force, the court heard.

The judge reminded jurors that a defence lawyer had questioned if, bar "one blow with a bottle, there [was] no significant use of force at all".

The trial continues.

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