Teenagers Guilty in Alexander Cashford Manslaughter on Sheppey

KENT (Azat TV) – Two teenagers have been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of Alexander Cashford, 49, who was lured to a beach on the Isle of Sheppey and fatally attacked last year. The verdicts, delivered at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, mark a significant development in the tragic case that saw Mr. Cashford die from injuries sustained during the assault.

A 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were convicted of the manslaughter of Mr. Cashford, who died in Leysdown-on-Sea, Kent, on August 10, 2025. All three teenagers involved in the incident were acquitted of murder by the jury. A third 16-year-old boy had previously pleaded guilty to a secondary charge of manslaughter. The court heard that the teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, believed Mr. Cashford was a paedophile.

The Luring and Attack on Alexander Cashford

The trial revealed that Mr. Cashford had met the 16-year-old girl at an amusement arcade on August 8, 2025, and given her his number along with a business card bearing an alias. Subsequently, the three teenagers used the alias ‘Sienna’ to exchange approximately 75 messages with Mr. Cashford, who claimed to be 30 years old. In these messages, they arranged to meet him by the sea wall, with ‘Sienna’ suggesting they meet at her parents’ empty home and instructing him to bring alcohol. One of the boys had saved Mr. Cashford’s number in his phone as “pedo,” indicating their suspicions.

On the evening of August 10, Mr. Cashford met the female defendant at the seafront around 7 p.m. Just over an hour later, he was dead. Prosecutors stated that Mr. Cashford was chased and assaulted with rocks and a bottle. Mobile phone footage, captured by the girl, showed the boys pursuing Mr. Cashford while she shouted, “f****** paedophile, I’m f****** 16, get him.” Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber from Kent Police described Mr. Cashford as being “lured to a secluded location,” noting “almost predatory behaviour” from the two males who followed him.

Trial Details and Jurors’ Verdict

During the trial, the older boy was asked if he thought he had “done the right thing” by attacking Mr. Cashford before they knew he had died. He responded, “Yeah, kind of, yeah,” explaining, “Because I feel like the police wouldn’t have done anything.” Danny Robinson KC, defending the girl, argued that texting Mr. Cashford began as a “big laugh” and evolved into a “desire to expose him as someone who should be named and shamed.” However, he maintained that the attack was not a premeditated plan to kill or cause serious harm, but rather a “childish escapade that got out of hand very quickly with tragic consequences.”

Natalie Smith, senior crown prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, presented a contrasting view, characterizing the incident as a “carefully pre-planned deliberate and violent attack” on Mr. Cashford, who “could not defend himself.” A post-mortem examination revealed severe injuries to Mr. Cashford’s face and head, bruises across his limbs and body, and several fractured ribs that had punctured his lung. He was found lying face down in the mud after the assault.

Consequences and Sentencing for the Teenagers

In the immediate aftermath of the arrest, the 16-year-old boy shared footage of the attack with three other people, captioning it: “f***** pedo (sic) up lol.” DCI Kimber highlighted this as ‘almost quite macabre,’ pointing out their eagerness to post the attack on social media within minutes of Mr. Cashford’s death. The court heard that despite Mr. Cashford’s attempts to flee, he was “relentlessly pursued and attacked,” even after he was reportedly on the ground.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, who presided over the trial, requested pre-sentence reports and statements from the parents or carers of the three defendants. She thanked the jurors for their service, acknowledging the tragedy of Alexander Cashford’s death. The judge remarked that these verdicts “will change their lives forever.” The teenagers are expected to be sentenced in April.

The convictions underscore the severe consequences that can arise when individuals take justice into their own hands, particularly when fueled by unverified suspicions and exacerbated by social media’s role in documenting and disseminating violence.