Mother's devastation after son is shot dead at Thailand beach party

- Stephen Ashton's family say crackdown on guns 'all we can hope for'- It emerged today Mr Ashton may have been used as human shield- Real target in shooting hid behind tourists, alleged gunman says from holding cell
Briton Stephen Ashton shot dead in crossfire in a nightclub in Thailand. Internet Facebook Web Grab Picture, Copyright Unknown. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=822400200&ref=ts&sk=photos_stream
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The widowed mother of the British tourist gunned down at a New Year’s Eve beach party in Thailand told today of her anger and devastation.

Diane Ashton revealed she spoke to son Stephen, 22, online on Boxing Day — and learned of his death while she was on a skiing holiday in Austria.

“We are devastated,” said Mrs Ashton, 48, whose only family member now is daughter Emily, 20. “I do have feelings of anger as well as mourning the loss that he’s not coming back, which is the hardest thing to accept.

“We’ve had a really bad time, as I lost my husband a year ago. We are struggling to move on with our lives at a very difficult time,” she told the Croydon Advertiser.

Mrs Ashton spoke as the governor of the Thai holiday island where her son was shot dead vowed it will be made a “gun-free zone” within a year.

“We Skyped with Stephen on Boxing Day and he was having such a good time,” she said. “He had always wanted to travel and we wanted to encourage him in that. He’d wanted to take some time out after the death of his dad, which devastated him.

“Stephen had a real zest for life. He was such a talented lad. Everything he did he seemed to do well at. It is just unbelievable he has now gone.”

The governor of Koh Phangan island and other nearby tourist spots vowed gun licences will be checked and new arrivals searched after the death of the former City trader, from Purley.

Mr Ashton’s family today said the crackdown — which will include warnings to gun dealers — was “all we can hope for” and added that the move could lead to an end to armed violence on the islands.

It emerged today that Mr Ashton may have been used as a human shield by a gang member when he was caught in crossfire as a brawl between rival Thai groups escalated.

The intended target of the shooting hid behind tourists as they partied outside the Zoom bar, the alleged gunman said from the cell where he is being held. Yesterday Ekkapan Kaewkla, 26, appeared in court accused of killing Mr Ashton.

In a courtroom on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui, he reportedly said: “I was aiming at someone else but the foreigner got in the way.” He was remanded in custody for 12 days. Today Kaewkla said he wanted to apologise to Mr Ashton’s family, adding: “I know I’ve done wrong.”

British Ambassador Mark Kent was due to meet island police today or tomorrow to ensure the case is being investigated fully.

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