Two boys and a girl face murder charges after an alleged violent assault on a Kent beach holidaymaker
Three teenagers have appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in the Kent seaside resort of Leysdown-on-Sea.
The accused — a 16-year-old girl and two boys aged 14 and 15, all from London — are alleged to have attacked 49-year-old Alexander Cashford on Sunday evening. The teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are believed to have been holidaying in Kent at the time.
Kent Police said they were called shortly after 7 pm to the Warden Bay Road area of Leysdown-on-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey following reports of a disturbance involving a small group of people. Cashford was found with multiple injuries and pronounced dead at the scene just over an hour later.
At Medway Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, prosecutor Dylan Bradshaw told the hearing: “What we know is that Alexander Cashford, a 49-year-old male, shortly after 7 pm on Sunday, August 10, went to the beach area of Warden’s Bay. About an hour and five minutes later, he was pronounced dead – during that period, he was the subject of a violent assault.”
The court was told the attack allegedly involved the use of a glass bottle and rocks being thrown.
During the brief hearing, the 16-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy were seen crying, while the 15-year-old boy sat with his head down, rocking slightly. The defendants were accompanied in the well of the court by their parents, while other family members observed from the public gallery.
A 12-year-old girl, arrested on Tuesday in Basildon, Essex, remains in police custody in connection with the incident.
The three teenagers charged with murder have been remanded to youth detention accommodation and are due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday.
Detectives have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward, saying they are keen to speak to people who were in the Warden Bay beach area on Sunday evening.
Police have maintained a large cordon in a clearing behind the beach in front of a caravan park, as forensics teams continue to examine the scene.
The killing has shocked the local community in Leysdown-on-Sea, a small seaside town known for its holiday parks and beaches. Residents have expressed disbelief that such violence could erupt in a normally peaceful resort popular with families during the summer.
Kent Police have not released further details on a possible motive, but confirmed they are investigating whether the victim and suspects knew each other prior to the incident.
The case is being handled by specialist officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, with additional patrols deployed in the area to reassure residents and holidaymakers.
In a statement, a Kent Police spokesperson said: “This is a tragic incident in which a man has lost his life. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely difficult time. We are doing everything possible to establish the full circumstances of what happened.”
Police are urging anyone who was in the Warden Bay area between 6:30 pm and 8 pm on Sunday, or who may have mobile phone or dashcam footage, to contact them.
The investigation continues.