Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

The three teenagers were convicted in February of killing Alexander Cashford on a Kent beach.

Following the weeks-long trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Natalie Smith, from the Crown Prosecution Service, called the attack by the girl, 16, and two boys, aged 15 and 16, "pre-planned, deliberate and violent".

She added at the time that Cashford was "not expecting it" and "could not defend himself".

“He was first hit from behind with a bottle and despite his best attempts to flee, he was relentlessly pursued and attacked, even when witnesses reported he was lying on the ground," said Smith.

“Their joint actions on that fateful evening led to Alexander Cashford’s death," she continued.

"His family now at least have the comfort of knowing that those responsible have been brought to justice.”

Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

The discovery of Alexander Cashford's lifeless body on a Kent beach in August 2025 sparked a large response from the emergency services. Here are some pictures taken at the time.

Image source, UKNIP

Image source, UKNIP

Image source, UKNIP

Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

Three teenagers are being sentenced for the manslaughter of Alexander Cashford while they were on holiday.

The two boys and one girl had lured the 49-year-old to a beach in Leysdown-on-Sea, Kent, on 10 August 2025, suspecting he was a paedophile.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) says that some of the key evidence in building this case came from the defendants themselves, with the girl shooting a video of the start of the attack.

It adds that other evidence came from witnesses, some of whom went to Cashford’s aid, while others tracked the group and reported where they were, leading to swift arrests by police.

The witnesses also gave evidence about how the defendants appeared to be gloating after the attack, according to the CPS.

During the trial it was heard that Cashford had more than 30 external injuries on his body.

Charlie Rose
South East home affairs correspondent

Today the sun is shining on Leysdown-on-Sea in conditions not dissimilar to those last August when Alexander Cashford was killed on the seafront.

Here people tell me they remember clearly the day of the horrific attack and the teenagers’ arrest. They say they remain shocked by what happened.

Workers at an amusement arcade, who asked not to be named because of fear of reprisals, tell me they worry the incident last summer may have a negative impact on trade by putting people off from visiting.

But a café owner says she isn’t worried, as she points to her busy tables.

It seems no-one here can forget the incident last summer which continues to cast a shadow over this seaside village 10 months on.

Mobile phone footage - shot by the girl involved in the killing - shows the two teenage boys launching a deadly attack on Alexander Cashford in August last year.

Warning: The video below contains violent scenes.

Sara Smith
Reporter, South East

Justice Cheema-Grubb has now risen to consider what sentence to give the three teenagers who killed Alexander Cashford on a beach in Kent.

Sara Smith
Reporter, BBC South East

A 15-year-old boy who was one of the trio who killed Alexander Cashford played a minor role in what happened, his defence says.

Benjamin Newton KC adds the teen did not arm himself and was not present or involved when missiles were thrown.

The boy, who was 14 at the time, "played a minor role", Newton continues.

He says there was "no evidence [the teen was] involved in messages exchanged with Mr Cashford" and he was "present as part of a larger group".

There is "substantial evidence" that he has a positive character, adds Newton.

Image source, UKNIP

The 15-year-old boy who took part in the killing of Alexander Cashford when he was 14 has a low risk of reoffending, says his defence.

"Further detention appears to be counterproductive [due to the] risk of institutionalisation," his lawyer tells the court.

This could impede his social and educational development, the defence continues.

"He has proved he has learnt lessons," they add.

"What he really needs is an intensive package that ensures he moves into adulthood without posing a risk."

Sara Smith
Reporter, South East

The 16-year-old girl who killed Alexander Cashford with two others did not know a weapon had been taken by the boys, according to her defence.

The three had arranged to meet the 49-year-old on the beach before killing him with rocks and a bottle.

She is autistic and has a long-standing anxiety disorder, her defence adds.

Her defence goes on to explain that she displays limited social and emotional development for someone her age.

"Despite that, she has thought about what she did wrong," her defence continues.

"She is remorseful of her actions."

Danny Moore KC says the actions of the 16-year-old boy who killed Cashford with two other teens were impacted by his ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

He says the boy, who was 15 at the time of the killing, "could not have had a harder start in life".

"There is no history of violence," he adds. "This event is one that the court is entitled to treat as completely out of character.

"He certainly was able to say no, but he didn't. He understands the consequence of that."

Moore cites a doctor's report saying there was a degree of suggestibility.

The boy is suffering "complete isolation" in prison, Moore adds, and cannot form friendships.

Shortly before we heard from the defence, the court was read a victim impact statement in which Alexander Cashford's sister said losing him has "left her an only child".

"How do I explain to my six-year-old son that he will never see his uncle Alex again?" she says.

"I have to watch my parents suffer the pain of losing a child.”

The sister adds the "slander against Alex’s name is difficult, as it couldn't be further from the truth".

The three teens lured 49-year-old Cashford to the beach before killing him as they thought he was a paedophile. This has been widely reported in the media.

Sara Smith
Reporter, South East

Danny Moore KC, speaking on behalf of the 16-year-old boy, who was one of the three teens who killed Cashford, says he has "reflected deeply on his actions and he knows this moment of violence has resulted in a tragedy which can never be undone".

"He does feel genuine remorse for what he did," he adds.

"He wants it made clear his remorse is genuine."

Sara Smith
Reporter, South East

Dave and Linda Cashford, Alexander Cashford's parents, say their son was a "kind, friendly and compassionate person who cared about the local animals and wildlife especially the birds, helping them at every opportunity".

He loved sport, especially football, the courtroom hears in a statement delivered on their behalf.

An electrician by trade, Cashford had started a development business on the Isle of Sheppey and sometimes gave business cards to local residents.

"We will never overcome or understand the trauma which will haunt us for the rest of our lives," they add.

"He was our rock in life.”

The family of the victim Alexander Cashford say the impact of his killing is "impossible to put in words".

"We are all devastated," they say in a statement read out in court.

"Alex was taken in a cruel and violent way."

They call his killing by the three teenagers "cruel, unnecessary and pointless".

They add they are "crushed" by what happened.

After a delay to the start of the proceedings, we're now hearing the prosecution set out some of the facts of the case in front of Justice Cheema-Grubb - you can catch up on some of the details of Alexander Cashford's killing in our earlier posts.

Afterwards, we're expecting to hear some mitigating remarks from the defence team representing the three defendants.

The judge will then deliver her sentencing remarks later on. We'll keep you updated with the key lines here.

Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

Image source, Kent Police

Alexander Cashford was killed by three teenagers on a Kent beach in August 2025, who accused him of being a paedophile.

He had given one of the trio - a 16-year-old girl - his number after a chance meeting at an amusement arcade.

The BBC reported earlier the 49-year-old had previous convictions for stalking and driving offences.

He pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm or distress at Medway Magistrates' Court on 17 March.

The charge related to an incident earlier that month when he followed a young woman home from work to her house in Gillingham.

He was sentenced to a one-month curfew, had to wear an electronic tag for six months and was banned from entering Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre.

The year before Cashford had pleaded guilty to three driving offences at Medway Magistrates' Court.

They were using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance, failure to stop a vehicle when ordered to do so by a constable or traffic warden, and fraudulent use of a registration document.

Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

Image source, Shutterstock

Here's a reminder of how the case unfolded:

• 8 August 2025: The three teenagers meet Cashford by chance while on holiday in Leysdown, Kent
• 10 August 2025: The trio lure Cashford to a beach thinking he is a paedophile and kill him
• 11 August 2025: Kent Police arrest the teenagers on suspicion of murder
• 15 August 2025: A trial date is provisionally set for 13 January 2026
• 16 February 2026: Two of the teenagers are found guilty of manslaughter at Woolwich Crown Court. The third teen had pleaded guilty to the same charge earlier in proceedings
• 30 April 2026: The three are sentenced

Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

The three teenagers who killed Alexander Cashford cannot be named for legal reasons due to their age.

Anonymity has been enforced under section 45 of the 1999 Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act, which prohibits journalists from publishing anything that would identify them, such as their name, address, school or workplace.

This order lasts until they reach the age of 18.

Judges can lift this reporting restriction if it is deemed in the public interest, although this is rare.

The intentions behind giving anonymity to those under 18 are partly privacy, to prevent lifelong stigmatisation, and to avoid restricting their rehabilitation.

Joshua Askew
Journalist, South East

Image source, UKNIP

Three teenagers were convicted in February of killing Alexander Cashford in 2025, following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

A 16-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy were found guilty of manslaughter after luring the 49-year-old - who they thought was a paedophile - to a Kent beach where another teenager threw rocks at him.

A 16-year-old boy previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The jury heard that the girl had met Cashford by chance on 8 August at an amusement arcade in Leysdown-on-Sea, on the Isle of Sheppey, and he gave her his phone number.

Using a fake name, the trio arranged to meet him at a sea wall.

Here the two boys launched an attack on Cashford encouraged by the girl, with one boy hitting him over the head with a bottle.

Witnesses saw one of the boys throwing rocks at Cashford and kicking him, which continued after he appeared to be unconscious.

The girl's defence argued in court it was a "childish escapade that got out of hand", although the Crown Prosecution Service called it a "carefully pre-planned deliberate and violent attack".

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

All three had denied murder.

They cannot be named legally due to their age.

Image source, PA/Kent Police

We will be covering the sentencing of three teenagers who were convicted of manslaughter after luring a man they thought was a paedophile to a beach and throwing rocks at him.

A 16-year-old girl and two boys, 15 and 16, all denied murdering Alexander Cashford in Leysdown-on-Sea, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, on 10 August last year.

The 16-year-old boy previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

A trial at Woolwich Crown Court was told the teenagers believed Cashford, 49, was a paedophile after he met a girl by chance at an amusement arcade two days earlier and gave her his phone number.

We have reporters in court who will bring you the latest as sentencing is passed at the Old Bailey.