Kentish Express Ashford & District
Frustrated dad fears police have given up on search for killer
Nine years on, teenager’s killing remains a mystery
An Ashford teenager’s decapitated body was dumped in woodland and buried under branches – but nine years later, his killer has still not been found.
Ashley Dighton, 19, was last seen on June 11, 2007, at Sainsbury’s Bybrook, and his headless body was found in woodland adjoining the nearby Warren Retail Park a month later.
His death remains a mystery and police have never found his killer.
Ashley’s dad, Ambrose Dighton, said he is determined to get justice for his son but fears police have given up looking for the culprit.
He said: “The police are supposed to be updating me every month whether or not there’s new information, but they’re not even doing that now.
“I phoned them two weeks ago and no one has even called me back.
“I am hoping that they are going to find something and get this done and dusted, but then we know what the police are like. I don’t really believe in them. They haven’t even found my son’s head.”
Mr Dighton has taken part in video appeals, featured in magazines and even made an appearance on The Jeremy Kyle and Trisha Goddard shows in a desperate bid to find out what happened to his son.
He visited psychic Keith Charles, a former Metropolitan Police CID officer, who revealed interesting information about the circumstances of Ashley’s death.
Mr Dighton said: “Keith told us it was a gypsy that got my boy there in the woods and then a non-gypsy that killed him.
“I believe it was a gypsy that got him there because Ashley would have trusted him, because we are gypsies.
“The psychic also said that when he saw that Ashley was dead he got the knife and cut his head off.
“I just want it over and done with. I want to find out who has done this to my boy, I want them to go to prison and I want them to leave prison in a box, in their own coffin.
“People say that I should forgive people but no, I can’t do that. My boy was a lovely boy, a good laugh and a nice boy. He did not deserve to get killed and I will get justice for him one day.”
An inquest into Ashley’s death in December 2008 recorded an open ver- dict after the coroner heard that his badly decomposed body was found covered with branches.
Ashford Coroner’s Court also heard that one of his ribs and his T-shirt had been removed and placed in a plastic bag. His head has never been found.
A Kent Police spokesman said there are no new developments but the investigation is still active.
He said: “The case remains unsolved and, as with all undetected cases, Kent Police will actively investigate any new lines of inquiry.”
Anyone who has any information is urged to call police on 101.
‘He did not deserve to get killed and I will get justice for him one day’