Renewed police appeal over death of man in 2007

Ashley Dighton’s remains were found in woodland a month after he was last seen

Police have launched a renewed appeal after the body of a man was found 16 years ago.

Ashley Dighton, 19, was last seen on 11 June 2007 at a supermarket in Simone Weil Avenue, Ashford, Kent.

His remains were found in woodland near the store a month later and nobody has ever been prosecuted over his death.

Following a recent cold case review, Kent Police is now renewing its appeal for information.

Mr Dighton's body was so badly decomposed, a pathologist at an inquest into his death could not determine a cause of death.

In 2008, Ashford Coroner's Court heard his body was found covered with branches and one of his ribs and his T-shirt had been removed and placed in a plastic bag.

Ashley Dighton was last seen on 11 June 2007 at a supermarket in Simone Weil Avenue in Ashford

A murder investigation saw more than 1,000 people spoken to, hundreds of hours of CCTV footage examined and more than 2,000 exhibits seized, police said.

Det Ch Insp Neil Kimber said the force was “still determined to get answers for Ashley's family”.

“I am hoping that, following the passage of time since his death, someone may have information that they can now share with us,” he said.

In a statement, Mr Dighton's family urged anyone with information to “do the right thing”.

“Since this tragic news, our family has been destroyed,” the statement said.

“Our father and mother have not been the same since and I don't think any of us have slept properly.

“He has been cheated cruelly out of the happy future he deserved.

“As a family, we ask anyone who has any knowledge of what happened to Ashley to please come forward. We really need to know why Ashley was taken from us and there are people who know.

"Alliances change and people move on and have children of their own. What may have been difficult once to talk about may be different now.”