A man allegedly beaten to death with a concrete slab by three teenagers on the Isle of Sheppey was recently spared jail for stalking a woman – and was once described by police as a ‘one man crime wave’, we can reveal.
Alexander Cashford, 49, was found dead with multiple serious injuries in Leysdown-on-Sea in Kent on Sunday.
A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 14 and 15, have been charged with his murder, which followed reports of ‘an altercation’ involving a small group of people.
Mr Cashford appeared in court earlier this year, accused of following a young woman home from work and visiting her house in the early hours of the morning, where he posted a chocolate bar and a letter through her door.
Mr Cashford, from Rainham, in Kent, visited the address in nearby Gillingham twice, first at 1.39am and then seven minutes later at 1.46am on March 9.
He admitted a charge of stalking involving serious alarm and distress at North Kent Magistrates’ Court on March 17 and was placed on a month’s curfew and fitted with a tag which was to remain in place until September 16.
Magistrates warned him to refrain from contacting the woman he followed, to keep away from her address and he was banned from the Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre in Gillingham.
Alexander Cashford, pictured, appeared in court earlier this year, accused of following a young woman home from work and visiting her house in the early hours of the morning, where he posted a chocolate bar and a letter through her door
Police pictured searching the scene near Warden Bay beach on the Isle of Sheppey on August 11
Emergency services pictured at the scene yesterday as they continued to searches for evidence
The Daily Mail can also reveal that Mr Cashford, who worked as an electrician, was jailed for three years and four months in 2015 after stealing vehicle parts worth more than £63,000.
He pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to nearly 200 offences relating to vehicle theft, money laundering and making off without payment
In one instance Cashford sold a stolen vehicle badge back to its original owner.
The Vauxhall Insignia badge was stolen from the car situated in a car park in Gravesend in January 2014.
Police identified more than 160 victims of thefts in which fog lights and other vehicle parts were removed from the cars and sold on via internet auction sites.
Detective constable Sarbjeet Khattoare, who investigated the crime spree along with detective constable Michael Champion, described Cashford as a ‘one man crime wave’ who made a quick profit from an illegal gap in the market.
DC Khattoare said: ‘With the introduction of led light technology into newer cars he recognised that people would be looking for cheaper alternatives when parts needed replacing.
Mr Cashford, 49, was found dead with multiple serious injuries in Leysdown-on-Sea in Kent on Sunday
Police officers carry out searches near the scene in the Leysdown-on-Sea resort on the Isle of Sheppey on Monday
A police cordon was put up in a large clearing behind the beach in front of a caravan park
‘By stealing the lights he was able to make thousands whilst the victims of the crime often were left having to stump up the cash to find replacements.’
Following Sunday’s altercation, Kent Police attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Mr Cashford was said to have been chased onto a beach in Leysdown close to a holiday caravan park. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two teenage boys and girl were arrested and taken into custody.
The boys, aged 14 and 15, and the 16-year-old girl were charged with murder by joint venture yesterday and were due to appear before Medway Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.
