Two teenagers have been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of Alexander Cashford, who was lured to a beach and killed because he was suspected of being a pedophile.
A 16-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy, along with a 16-year-old boy who previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, will be sentenced in April, as reported by BBC News. All three, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were acquitted of murder.
Cashford, 49, was alleged to be a pedophile following a random interaction with the 16-year-old girl at an arcade two days prior to his death, which resulted in him giving her his phone number. The three teens texted Cashford under the alias Sienna, and coordinated a meeting in Leysdown-on-Sea, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, England last August.
A post-mortem examination revealed Cashford sustained injuries to his face and head, bruises on his body, several fractured ribs, and a punctured lung, after being chased and struck with rocks and a bottle.
The 16-year-old boy, who accepted a guilty plea, claimed they thought the police "wouldn’t have done anything" if he was reported for arranging to meet with a minor before taking matters into their own hands.
The court viewed footage of the incident, which was posted on social media, and recorded by the girl who can be heard shouting "get him," as the boys chased down Cashford.
The barrister defending the girl said in court that their actions were a "childish escapade that got out of hand very quickly with tragic consequences."
