A decorator who filmed a homeless man being sprayed with paint has today insisted he is not to blame after the victim was later found dead. Aaron Jones was confronted outside his home where he apologized for posting the video and called for police protection for himself. He had approached homeless Michael Cash and filmed the moment he was covered in red paint while sitting outside a supermarket.
The 32-year-old was found dead in a cemetery just days after the attack outside a Tesco Express in Normanby, Teeside. In the 8-second clip, Jones can be heard bragging: ‘This is how we deal with the beggars on the street.’ Chillingly he adds: ‘There he is, sprayed to death.’ Today he said he didn’t feel responsible for Mr Cash’s death and claimed all he was doing was highlighting the problem of people sitting outside supermarkets. Jones told the Sun online: ‘I’m not responsible for his murder. I now need police protection. ‘I posted the video and I’m sorry for that, and I feel for the lad’s family.
‘But I wasn’t responsible for spraying him with paint – I just came out of the shop and took a video.’ When asked if he felt responsible for the death, he replied: ‘No I don’t.’ Police have said they are not linking the filming incident to the death of Mr Cash on Wednesday and say it is ‘not suspicious.’ It is not the first time that Jones has pictured Mr Cash. On August 31st, he posted an image of him sitting in the same spot outside the supermarket saying: ‘About time this spice head got removed from back of Tesco, smile for the camera.’ The photograph was accompanied with two laughing emojis.