Three teenagers have been convicted of manslaughter following the death of 49-year-old Alexander Cashford, who was chased and fatally assaulted along the seafront in Leysdown-on-Sea in August last year.
Woolwich Crown Court heard that Mr Cashford had arranged to meet a 16-year-old girl after exchanging messages over two days, believing he was communicating directly with her. Prosecutors said the meeting had been used to lure him to the promenade, where an attack had been planned.
During the pursuit, members of the group shouted “pedo” at Mr Cashford before he was punched, kicked and struck with a bottle. He was left seriously injured. A post-mortem examination found he suffered head and facial injuries, fractured ribs and a punctured lung.
Two of the defendants a boy and a girl who were aged 14 and 16 at the time were found guilty of manslaughter after denying the charge. A second boy, aged 15 at the time of the attack, had already admitted manslaughter. The trio, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were cleared of murder and will be sentenced at a later date.
The court heard that minutes after Mr Cashford began walking along the promenade with the girl, the two boys approached him. The older boy struck him on the head with a glass bottle. Mr Cashford attempted to flee but was pursued and assaulted further. Witnesses reported seeing stones thrown at him while he was on the ground.
Footage of part of the incident was recorded on a mobile phone and later shared. The defendants were arrested shortly afterwards following information from a member of the public.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber of Kent Police described the circumstances of the assault as alarming. The Crown Prosecution Service said the attack had been deliberate and that Mr Cashford had been unable to defend himself.
The court also heard Mr Cashford had previously been convicted of stalking and was subject to licence conditions at the time.
Sentencing will take place at a later hearing.