A young girl facing charges of killing a man at a coastal area shouted expletives and accused the victim of being a pedophile while recording the attack, a court revealed.
The 16-year-old girl is currently on trial with two boys aged 15 and 16 for the alleged murder of Alexander Cashford, 49, in Leysdown-on-Sea, Kent. The court was informed that Mr. Cashford was discovered with severe head and facial injuries lying in the mud just over an hour after encountering the trio on August 10 last year.
According to prosecutors, the teenagers enticed him to the beach using a fake identity, “Sienna,” following numerous messages exchanged leading up to his demise. Witnesses reported seeing the group near the promenade as Mr. Cashford headed to meet the girl, whom he encountered on the seafront before 7 pm.
While the girl and Mr. Cashford strolled along the promenade, the boys trailed behind. During the walk, the girl allegedly grabbed an empty glass bottle. Subsequently, a video retrieved from the 16-year-old boy’s phone, purportedly filmed by the girl during the assault, captured her yelling derogatory remarks towards the victim.
In the video, she can be heard shouting insults at Mr. Cashford while one of the boys strikes him with the glass bottle. As the victim fell to the ground, the chaos continued, with the girl urging the boys to attack further before the recording abruptly ends.
The 16-year-old boy reportedly shared the footage of the incident with a few individuals before his arrest. The court learned that the police were alerted to the scene by a witness shortly after 7:00 pm on the same day. Surveillance footage later showed the defendants departing from the area where Mr. Cashford’s body was discovered.
Additionally, jurors were presented with brief video footage showing commotion involving two boys and a man running. Authorities also found images on the 16-year-old boy’s phone depicting the injuries sustained by the 15-year-old boy when he tripped over Mr. Cashford.
Earlier interactions between Mr. Cashford and the girl at an arcade were disclosed, with the court revealing that the girl, posing as “Sienna,” engaged in an exchange of messages with Mr. Cashford before luring him to the beach. The prosecution outlined how the encounter evolved from initial messages to plans involving alcohol and intimate intentions.
Witnesses at the scene identified the girl and one of the boys, providing crucial information on the events that transpired, including the altercation that led to Mr. Cashford’s fatal injuries. The court also received details from the post-mortem examination, revealing the extent of Mr. Cashford’s injuries, which included fractures and internal damage.
The trial is ongoing.
